The Way
by ifsoever
Summary: This story takes place during Bo's Dawning. The temple gets its revenge by trapping Lauren and Bo's souls in an alternative universe of Dyson's creation. The only escape is for Bo to learn the truth. Can Bo rediscover the truth about who she is and who she really loves, despite the "perfect" life that the temple has created for her and Dyson, or are they trapped forever?
1. Chapter 1

**AN**

 **This is my second fic for Clubdoccubus.**

" _This place can be vengeful. You don't know what will happen…." The Caretaker._

XXXX

Lauren entered the gym, and her eyes scanned the training room. Her gaze landed on Bo at the side of the gym. She was raining down punches on a bag hanging from the ceiling.

Lauren's lips curved in mild amusement as she silently watched Bo, for a moment. Lauren could watch the way Bo moved all day. Her smooth movements, the bounce of her muscles as they made contact with the bag, her intense concentration.

Bo stopped mid punch, aware of eyes on her, she turned around to face Lauren. She wiped the sweat from her brow and slowly lifted her gaze to look at Lauren.

"Spar with me?" Lauren asked with raised expectant eyebrows, and a slight smirk.

Bo hesitated, and then nodded before walking to the side of the room to prepare herself.

In the boxing ring, Bo moved into a fighting stance, bringing her fists up to guard her face. She kept her eyes on Lauren, waiting.

Lauren turned to face Bo. She stretched her back and rolled her neck before curling her fingers into a tight fist.

Bo crooked a finger at Lauren, signaling her to begin the fight, keeping the whole of her focus on Lauren's face. Bo emptied her mind and her emotions and saw Lauren as nothing but a sparring partner.

There were no feelings between them, certainly not one ounce of love. That ship had sailed a long time ago. They were work partners and nothing more.

Bo circled Lauren, weaving back and forth, to keep Lauren guessing about her first move.

Lauren's eyes narrowed at her into a ravenous look as they darted down her body. Bo used that opportunity to throw her first punch, and Lauren blocked it with a half smirk.

Bo bounced around, and when Lauren threw a punch at her, she ducked beneath her arm and hit her on the side.

Lauren exhaled at the contact and laughed, "That hurt," She blocked the next punch Bo threw at her and tracked her movements with her eyes.

"Good," Bo retorted coolly and shook out her arms to loosen them up, before bringing her fists back to her face. "You never remember to protect your left side."

Lauren switched her position, threw a punch at Bo. Bo swiftly blocked it, but the next one connected with the side of Bo's facemask.

Bo's eyes met Lauren and she tossed her head from side to side and moved back into a defensive stance.

Bo defended herself against Lauren, but Lauren caught her with a sweep of her leg. Bo hit the training mat hard, and it almost knocked the wind out of her. Her eyes widened, and she blinked up at the ceiling with her arms stretched out.

Lauren pinned her arms down and straddled her hips, their facemasks pressed against each other. Face to face, mere inches apart, Lauren shivered, acutely aware of their warm bodies touching.

Bo breathed heavily beneath her, her eyes showing quarreling emotions.

Lauren stared back, her eyes searching Bo's. "Did I hurt you?" Lauren asked, not moving away, her breath washed over Bo's lips.

Every hair on Bo's body seemed to stand on alert. "I'm not yours to worry about anymore," Bo whispered, unable to look away or push Lauren off. This whole situation had catastrophe written all over it, she needed to get up, but resisted.

Bo's eyes dropped to Lauren's mouth for a half second and nerves danced in Lauren's stomach, making her body warm. Lauren opened her mouth, willing herself off Bo, all the while unable to move or tear her eyes away from Bo's.

Lauren angled her head, slightly, and Bo closed her eyes, sucked in a sharp breath of air and held it, anticipating the inevitable. Then nothing happened, Lauren's weight eased off her body, and she could hear her footsteps moving away from her.

Bo released her breath, coming to her senses, as relief spread through her. She cursed Lauren under her breath for her attempt to confuse her and make her think about her feelings. She had played right into Lauren's hands.

"Had enough?" Lauren asked, towering over her, holding two bottles of cold water.

Bo jerked off her mask and tossed it to the side. She breathed deeply to catch her breath and settle her clashing emotions. "Give me a minute, and then we'll go again." Her voice came out strained.

Lauren smiled at Bo and sighed. Feeling guilty about almost kissing Bo. Bo was with Dyson, now, and Lauren was working to accept that, but sometimes she was powerless to stop her feelings. "I think we're done here. Go recover." She said, trying to sound casually friendly. She tossed Bo a bottle of water.

Bo caught it, screwed off the top of the bottle and drank. When she felt ready, Bo stood up and checked her watch for the time. She ran the cold bottle over her sweaty forehead, to cool herself down. Lauren swallowed hard at the gesture, watching the beads of water running down Bo's face.

"I'm not even out of shape," Bo said, trying to catch her breath and move away from the awkwardness. "I'm not sure why I'm so out of breath."

Lauren tucked a towel around her neck. "Are you going home after this?" She asked, as casual as she could. It was still hard to talk about personal matters, and her words came out hesitant.

Bo shot her an annoyed look, as she finished her water. She gazed intensely into Lauren's eyes and nodded.

A quick glance around the gym confirmed to Lauren that they were alone. She said, in a small voice. "Oh, I thought we could grab dinner or something..." Despite her conflicting emotions, her voice remained calm. But she felt stupid even suggesting it.

Bo shook her head, quickly. "No, I need to get home, Dyson's making dinner," She answered between her teeth.

Lauren crossed her arms and held her elbows. "Yeah, okay."

Bo met Lauren's eyes, hurt flashed through them for the briefest of moments before they cleared, leaving no trace of emotion. She revivified her emotional barriers, and her demeanor turned cold towards Lauren.

Scowling, Bo tossed her belongings into her gym bag. "Give up the jealous act, okay," She said, sharply. "I'm happy. I'm with someone who won't break my heart. It's not complicated." She gave Lauren a look of cold indifference. She was tired of Lauren always pushing her and playing with her. Lauren was the one that ended their relationship, to "protect" her and it was time she learned it was over between them.

Bo's tone was just as unemotional as her expression, which made the words all the more cutting. "You were happy with me…once," Lauren said, weakly. She was trying hard to keep all her feelings contained, but they kept bubbling to the surface.

Bo exhaled a frustrated breath. "Yeah? And where did that get me?"

Lauren toyed with the towel around her neck. She tried not to let Bo's words hurt. She breathed slowly until the ache in her chest passed. After a moment, she said. "I've told you I'm sorry like a million times. It wasn't my fault." She deliberately took slow breaths, waiting for Bo's response.

Bo studied her for a long moment before she marched up to Lauren, close enough so Lauren could smell her sweat. "Sorry doesn't unbreak my heart." She spun around and stormed off. "Some choices can't be undone," She called out with her back to Lauren, before yanking the heavy door open and exiting the gym.

Lauren slumped into the chair and sipped her water. Her heart grew heavy knowing Bo was going home to Dyson. To her perfect boyfriend, her perfect life. That could have been her life, should have been her life. As much as she wanted Bo, she knew the reality of the situation. She would always have to let Bo go. She sighed and drank her water, alone.

XXXX

With a sense of exhausted relief, Bo drove her Prius into the driveway before 6 pm that evening and parked in front of the garage. The house was animated with bright lights, the lawn a soft, flawless green carpet. The house was beautiful, welcoming and perfect. Yes, perfect, Bo reminded herself. This is what she wanted.

As she pressed the button to turn off the car, the front door opened, and Dyson jogged down the driveway to greet her. He wore his work scrubs and a broad smile.

"Welcome home," He said, opening her door for her.

"Hey," Bo smiled at him as she shuffled out of the car. She realized her gym bag was in the trunk, and she circled the car to get it. She stared at the bag, in the car, thinking back to Lauren and frowned.

Dyson touched her elbow, his face warm. "What is it?" He asked, concerned.

Her face lined into a twisted smile, and she said, "Nothing. I'm tired. It was a long day." She leaned forward and kissed his cheek.

Dyson pulled her towards him, circled his arms around her neck. She closed her eyes and sighed. An odd sense of sadness and regret filled her heart. Lately, whenever she was with Dyson, things felt a little off, wrong, somehow. But she couldn't put her finger on why, it didn't make sense, they were happy.

They broke apart, and Dyson took her bag. Bo mustered a smile and followed behind him into the house.

She walked into the calming, comfortable house and shrugged off her jacket.

"Dinner will be ready in an hour," Dyson said, taking her jacket from her and putting it away.

"I'm going to take a quick shower first," She pulled out her smelly shirt, "I was at the gym."

As Bo strolled to the bedroom, she glanced around the room and forced herself to relax. She didn't want to think about the gym or Lauren or the way her feelings were so muddled. She sank into the chair and started unlacing her tennis shoes.

Dyson followed, closing the door behind him. "How was work?"

Bo rubbed her dry eyes and gave a shaky sigh. She blinked, trying to rid herself of her frustrating, difficult day.

Dyson raised his eyebrows, and then his expression turned serious. Interest sparked through him at her silence. "Was it Lauren, again?" He asked, with coldness in his tone.

Bo leaned her head against the back of her chair and shut her eyes. She was trying to unwind, and her mood was starting to improve until Dyson brought up Lauren.

Bo remained silent for a moment; she brought her head down to look at him. "Of course not, that's over and has been for a while. She just gets under my skin sometimes."

She finished slipping out of her shoes and walked to the bathroom without another word.

Dyson gave her a concerned expression. "Why don't you get a new partner," He called out, gently. "You need a partner you can trust."

Bo shrugged and struggled to keep her mind off Lauren. Lauren. Exasperating, selfish, beautiful, heartbreaking Lauren. She had a perfect life with Dyson, so why did Lauren so easily dig her nails into her heart? Being partners with her ex was a torture she didn't know how much longer she could endure. Perhaps, she did need to rethink that and get another partner.

Dyson followed her into the bathroom and watched as she switched the shower on, and unbutton her pants. "Would you like me to join you?"

Bo stared down at the ground and then lifted her gaze to Dyson. "No, I just want a quick shower before dinner."

Dyson's face fell, and he gave her a quick kiss. "Okay, babe," He leaned back and looked at her. "Trust me, when I say you need a new partner. It's time to put the past in the past. Don't let that woman ruin everything we've built." He smiled, before exiting the bathroom.

Bo's heart clenched, knowing Dyson was right. She needed a clean break from Lauren once and for all. She turned to the mirror and stared at her reflection, wondering what was wrong with her, why she felt so conflicted, so off. She should be happy, she had a perfect life, and yet….

She shoved those thoughts aside; she was happy, this is what she wanted. She stripped her clothes off and stepped into the shower, all the while repeating those words to herself.

XXXX

After Bo had stormed off, Lauren didn't go home. What did she have to go home to? She went to the shooting range, instead.

Lauren loved target practice. It was the only time during her stressful day that she could clear her mind and relax. Even then, her mind always seemed to linger on Bo and her regrets.

She excelled at target practice, although she had never had to use her weapon in the line of duty, she wanted to be prepared for when that time came.

She lifted her gun and fired shots at the target. As the shots rang out, she thought about Bo. She had no one to blame for what happened between them but herself. She broke up with Bo, to protect her, at the time it seemed like the right thing to do, but now she knew it had been a mistake.

As meticulous as she was with her career, she always seemed to fall short in her personal relationships. To fall short when it came to Bo.

She never really seemed to fit in anywhere, belong anywhere. That was until she met Bo, but she was under no illusions whatsoever about that. Bo had moved on, and Lauren had no choice but to live with that.

But, sometimes, when she woke she didn't feel awake at all. It felt like she was still trapped in an endless dream. Maybe she was dreaming now. The world around her never seemed right, like pieces of the puzzle were missing. That was absurd, and she knew it.

Lauren shoved those thoughts aside and let her fingers grip the weapon tighter, firing more shots at the target. This was her life, this was her reality, and she needed to accept it and not obsess over losing Bo.

After twenty minutes, she holstered her handgun and removed her earmuffs.

As she packed up her belongings, her phone vibrated in her pocket, she fished it out and answered. "Officer Lewis speaking."

"911 just received a call about a murder. We've got officers on the scene, but the Chief wants you there."

Lauren glanced at her watch. It was late. "I'm off duty."

"We think it's connected to the family."

Lauren pressed her fingers against her temple and sighed. "I'm on my way."

As soon as she ended the call, she shoved her phone in her pocket and swung her bag over her shoulder. Her phone pinged again with a text message of the address. She thought about calling Bo but decided to let her spend the evening at home.

One of them should be happy, have a normal life, after all.

As she was leaving, she brushed past a man leaning against the door, "You don't belong here," He mumbled at her.

She paused and turned to look at him, "I'm sorry, what did you say?"

"We're closing," He answered, giving her a curious look.

"Right." She held up her bag, "I was just leaving."

XXXX

Ten minutes later, Lauren stared at the flashes of blue and red lights dancing off the dark concrete. She stalked toward the group of cops huddled around the car. The alley behind the car was blocked off with yellow crime tape. A good number of onlookers gathered around the area.

Lauren's gaze scanned the area for anything out of the ordinary as she walked up to a uniformed officer who stood guard in front of the alley. It wouldn't be the first time someone from the family had returned to the scene of the crime, so she took note of the faces in the crowd.

"You're living in a dream world, Lauren."

Lauren flipped her gaze to the officer and frowned. From his expression, it was clear he had been trying to get her attention for a while. "What did you say?" She asked, fingering her pistol, nervously.

He tilted his head and stared at her. "You looked like you were daydreaming."

Laughing, Lauren rubbed the back of her neck. "Sorry. It's late." She cleared her throat and nodded at the alley. "Tell me what we've got."

He nodded and looked down at his clipboard. "Female. Early thirties. The scene is secure, and the medical examiner arrived just before you did."

"I'll go take a look," She gestured at the growing crowd of bystanders behind the barrier. "Make sure they stay back."

"Yes, Officer Lewis," He said as he lifted the yellow tape for her to duck under it.

As she walked further to the back of the alley, she could smell rotten garbage and cigarettes. She darted her eyes around the space, noting everything that came into sight. Determining what was important, or what was useless at a crime scene was always a long and tedious process. The first twenty-four hours in every murder case were always the most critical, and weeding through endless evidence only made their job tougher. Based on this alley, there would be a lot to go through, it could take weeks. And, more than likely, none of it would end up being useful.

The area was crowded with a few fellow officers and the medical examiner. Lauren's insides heaved at the smell of death in the air as the body came into view.

The medical examiner was squatted next to the victim, examining her. He didn't look up when Lauren approached.

Lauren rested her hands on her gun belt, hovering behind him. "What happened to her?"

He leaned in for a closer look and pointed to the mass of dried blood on her side. "Hard to tell anything conclusive until the autopsy, but for now, it looks as is she was stabbed and then dumped behind the dumpster hours later."

Lauren pulled on a pair of latex gloves, then crouched down beside the body. "Any idea who she is?" She asked, looking at the woman's face. She looked beautiful and familiar, but Lauren couldn't place it.

"No ID, wallet, or purse was found on or near the body, so, we've got a Jane Doe, for now."

"I'll talk to missing persons and see if anyone has been reported missing in the past week that fits her description. We might get lucky." She stood, and removed her gloves. "While you finish up, I'll canvass the area to see if anyone saw anything."

As Lauren strode to the street that faced the crime scene, anger simmered as she tried to imagine someone stabbing this woman and then dumping her in an alley. Lauren might have been a cop for years, but murders never ceased to get under her skin.

And she couldn't shake the feeling that she knew that woman somehow, her image tugged at a distant part of Lauren's memory, but she couldn't grab it.

Pushing aside her emotions and thoughts, she studied the area around her. She shoved her hands into her pockets and watched as different groups walked past her.

She took a deep breath as she stepped onto the sidewalk. Laughter spilled from a young couple that walked by her. Her heart pounded against her ribs, thinking about Bo. She closed her eyes and tried to focus on the task at hand. Dead woman. Murder. She needed to concentrate on that, and not her beautiful, frustrating ex.

"You're living a lie," A homeless man muttered as he wandered by her, his head tipped up looking at the night sky.

Lauren's skin prickled in awareness. "Excuse me?" She called out, lightly gripping the man's shoulder to halt his steps.

His eyes bugged out as he stared at her with a confused expression. "You don't belong here."

"There's been a murder, did you see anything?" Lauren asked, trying to redirect his apparently confused train of thought. "Anything out of the ordinary?"

He lifted his hand and touched the badge on her chest. "Your life, your job, your world is an illusion."

Lauren frowned and glanced down at the bottle of beer in his hand. He was drunk; that explained his odd words and confusion. "A few hours ago, did you see any strange vehicles coming in and out of this alley?" She pointed behind her at the crime scene. "Anything at all." Keeping this drunken man focused seemed to be an impossible task. She started to grow impatient, irritated with the entire day.

"I'm the only one who sees the truth," He said, dreamily.

After a moment of staring at him, Lauren handed him a card and asked him to call her if he remembered anything, then she started to head off in the other direction.

"Unless you discover the truth, find the real key, you'll be trapped here, forever," He called out to her, halting her steps.

Lauren spun back around and strode determinedly up to him "Are you okay? Do you need somewhere to sleep it off," She tipped her head at the bottle in his hand.

He recoiled away from her. "Dream, only a dream," He muttered as he walked away from her.

As he stumbled into the street, Lauren saw the headlights of a truck heading right for him. Her gut told her something bad was about to happen. "Hey," She called out, running up towards him. "Hey," She waved her hands to get his attention. "Get out of the street."

He turned slowly and winked at her, at the same time, the truck smashed into his body.

Lauren rushed forward and squatted down beside him. She took his bloody hand, and in the background chaos erupted around her with sounds of beeping horns, yelling, screeching tires.

Lauren stared into his dull eyes and sighed. Her eyes swept down his body, and she noticed he wore a strange necklace, in the shape of an old looking key. She brushed her fingers across it and at the far edge of her mind, words of another life echoed in her head. _"My god, you're beautiful,"_ She heard herself say.

Interestedly, Lauren leaned forward and stared at the key, curling her fingers around it. More whispers and then her head tipped back as a flood of memories and images rushed through her mind, like a movie montage.

Bo's voice cut through Lauren's mind. _"Nobody owns you."_ The lines of reality collided in her head. _"This is about us."_ Each vision grew clearer, crisper. _"You take my breath away."_ Soon, the memories began to overwhelm her. _"No! I'm not leaving you!"_ Bo's face, Bo's words, _"I love you, too."_ The vivid images were making it hard to distinguish between what was real or not. _"Believe me, I feel lucky…"_

As quickly as they came, the images disappeared. She looked down at her uniform, and the key in her hand disappeared into a puff of blue smoke. Confusion fogged her mind as she tried to figure out what she had just seen.

A wave of nausea drove her to retch. Disoriented, she glanced around, the chains around her mind clanked open. She remembered everything. Her last real memory was watching Dyson and Bo enter the temple. Her heart burst in her chest when the realization crashed into her. They were trapped in an illusion. Stuck in Bo's dawning, in the temple.

She sank back and clutched her heart, as it squeezed in her chest. "Bo…" She whispered as tears crept into her eyes. Her heart filled with relief, even as dread and horror knotted her stomach.

 **XXXX**

 **AN**

 **I know most don't want to read too much about DyBo, so I will be cautious when writing that relationship.**

 **Thanks to my bidder for the prompt :)**

 **And thanks, everyone else for reading!**


	2. Chapter 2

Lauren rested her head in between her knees and breathed slowly. She just stayed there, feeling numb in body, mind, and spirit. Images of her life, her real life, and this other Lauren's life swept across her mind like a slide show.

Her mind began trying to sort through the events and make sense of them, but a sharp voice cut through her thoughts. "Officer Lewis."

Frowning, Lauren raised her head, looking the other officer in the eye. "What, no…" She shook her head and glanced at her uniform again. Trying to process what was happening, she muttered. "I'm not a cop. I'm a doctor," The words came out tangled as if she were drugged from confusion. Perhaps she was dreaming. No, she knew she wasn't.

The uniform officer placed his hand on her shoulder. "I think you're in shock."

Lauren took in the scene, around her, blinding car lights illuminated everywhere she looked. It wasn't as if Lauren hadn't been to a crime scene before, but everything felt different, now, in this illusion. The world seemed bizarrely gray. Cold.

Lauren laughed, conflicting memories, some real, some not swam through her mind. "Yes, I think I am." On some level, she knew she was in shock, but not from the accident. She was living in a fake world, not as herself; that would be enough to disorient anyone.

She stood quickly making her head spin. She rubbed her face, thinking. "I need to see Bo," She said aloud to herself. She started off, but he caught her arm before she could go, stopping her.

"We need your statement about what happened," He said, his voice a deep rumble. He put his hand on Lauren's shoulder and smiled encouragingly.

Lauren blinked quickly, trying to remember. In a moment of clarity, she said, "He walked into the street."

"Did you try and stop him?"

"Of course." She went to move away again, but his hand gripped her arm. "I think he was drunk," She added, sweeping her gaze over the scene.

He nodded and tried to keep her attention. "What did he say to you?"

"I was asking him about the murder." She choked on her breath when she thought back to the victim. An acute case of realization slammed her. It had been Nadia…well obviously not the real Nadia, but it looked like her. She was sickened by the memory. "I have to see Bo." She repeated to herself.

"Don't think for one second that just because you know the truth that all this won't affect you."

Lauren looked at him baffled. "What?"

He looked at her worriedly and gestured toward the street with his head. "About the accident."

On realizing what he meant, Lauren nodded, slightly. "Right."

"We need you to go down to the station and fill out an official report." He urged, more forcefully.

"I can't," She said, her thoughts now firmly fixed on Bo. She hesitated a second, then gave him a pointed look. "I have to see Bo. She's my partner."

Barely registering what was happening around her, she stepped away from the crowd and pulled out her phone, calling Bo.

Lauren looked over her shoulder at the officer, and tapped her foot impatiently, waiting.

"Hello," Bo didn't answer, it was Dyson.

"I need to talk to Bo."

"Lauren?" He bit out.

"Yes." Dyson's tone put her on the defensive. She knew it wasn't the real Dyson, and yet… "Where's Bo?" She asked, after a pause.

"Why are you calling her so late?"

Lauren focused on the pavement and decided to keep up the pretense of this world. "There's been a murder and an accident." Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the coroner's van pull up to take away the body.

"She's in bed. It's late."

Lauren tensed at Dyson's statement. On a rational level, she knew this was a mere illusion forced on them by the temple, the whole world, Dyson, and Bo as a couple. But on an emotional level, her heart wasn't in complete agreement. Her resolve almost faltered, and her anger turned towards herself. Wanting to avoid a public spectacle of arguing with Dyson, she said gently. "It's important."

"Let me make myself clear, Bo's in bed. You may be partners, but she doesn't owe you anything when she's off duty." He said, sharply.

At those words Lauren unloaded a long breath, resentment laced her gut, spreading through her veins. But before she could reply, Dyson ended the call.

As soon as the call ended, her phone buzzed with a text. She swiped her thumb across the screen, looked at the message, and frowned. _"We have information on your Jane Doe."_ Nadia, she thought. _"Come to the morgue. ASAP."_

Lauren read over the text, a mixture of apprehension and confusion arrested her thoughts. This whole situation just kept getting stranger and stranger. Why would the temple use Nadia's appearance for a murder victim? Her gut told her it wasn't a coincidence it was a clue.

With quick steps Lauren headed toward her car, to go to the morgue. She needed to get to Bo, yet curiosity drove her as she took steps away from the scene.

XXXX

Bo walked into the bedroom, finding Dyson sitting on the bed. "Was that my phone?" She asked him.

Dyson stood up. His face tightened as he handed her the phone. "It was Lauren."

Scowling, Bo looked at him, utterly confused. "Oh." She glanced down at the phone, not saying another word.

Dyson noticed her discomfort. "You're awfully quiet over there," He said, after a long moment of silence.

Bo tossed her phone onto a nearby dresser and scrubbed an aggravated hand over her face.

Dyson studied her, searching for answers he so desperately needed. "Are you in love with Lauren?"

The question hung there in the silence between them. Dyson's question effectively tangled Bo's thoughts, confusing her heart. She didn't answer his question. That in itself was telling.

His jaw ticked, frustration etched into his face. "You are the one thing in the world I couldn't bear to lose, Bo."

"I'm here, aren't I?" She said without looking at him, and immediately regretted how harsh it sounded. She jostled her knee, trying to shake away the burning fury and humiliation she felt for thinking about Lauren. That was over. Wanting to repair what she just said, she responded, "This is the only place I wish to be."

His expression softened, and he took her hand. "And I couldn't be happier that you're with me, but it kills me to think you love her after all this time. She can't ever love you the way I love you. I don't trust her, and you certainly can't trust her. It's my love for you that drives me to want to protect you. Always."

A troubled sigh escaped Bo, and she slumped into a chair. "You don't have to worry about Lauren." Her voice sounded fragile even to her own ears.

"Are you going to get a new partner?" Dyson said, crouching down in front of her. "It's time. Life's too short."

Her eyes narrowed at his words. A confused knot grew in her stomach.

"We have a perfect life. We're perfect for each other. Break free of Lauren." He put his hands on her shoulder and possessively pulled her against him. "Are you happy with me?"

She dropped her gaze down. "Of course, so happy." Though, in her mind, she meant it, the slight stab in her heart almost shook her resolve. A fleeting feeling, she told herself, which had nothing to do with Lauren. Lauren was still the bane of her life, and she felt nothing for her now. Nothing. Those times were long gone. Lost forever. She would do well to remember that nothing had changed. But she reminded herself that it was normal to carry some lingering feelings, but they would fade. "I've moved on," She added, after probably too long of a pause. "I've been feeling off lately, but I think it's just stress."

"So, say yes." Dyson urged, drawing back and smiling at her.

It was her anger at Lauren that was clouding her judgment, she told herself. Unwilling to let the scars of the past control her, she said. "Yes, I'll get a new partner. It's time." She smiled and settled against his chest. "You're right, as always. I need permanent closure from Lauren. I'll talk to the Chief in the morning."

XXXX

Lauren rode the elevator with her mind racing, ready to get some answers, some clue about what was happening.

As the door opened on the lowest level, Lauren walked down the long, gray hallway that led to the morgue. The only sounds were her footsteps and her heart pounding in her ears.

The overhead lights clicked on, providing a faint trail to the metal doors. The gray walls, the silence, the low lights reminded Lauren that she was there to face death, to face Nadia…

She pushed through the double doors that led into the autopsy room. The smell of death hit her immediately.

She put on a mask and gloves and gritted her teeth. She took a deep breath reminding herself it wasn't really Nadia. None of it was real.

After taking a moment to ready herself, she leaned over the body…Nadia. The whole situation made her skin crawl. Everything became still around her.

She was about to inspect the stab wound when Nadia opened her eyes and bolted upright.

For a long moment, Nadia simply stared at Lauren with ice-blue eyes. The world blurred as Lauren stared back. Lauren wondered if this was a delusion. She closed her eyes, counted to twenty, and reopened them.

Nadia was still staring at her. Lauren knew it wasn't really Nadia, but seeing her stung nonetheless.

Nadia drifted her eyes down to her stab wound, and then back to Lauren. "You failed me, Lauren."

Her dead eyes locked on Lauren, unnerving her. Nausea flew through her, constricting her stomach and clenching her heart. Slowly, she pulled down her mask.

Lauren lowered her gaze away from Nadia as guilt welled up inside her. "I…" Her voice broke. She cleared her throat, attempting to compose herself. "I didn't mean for any of this to happen…I'm sorry. You didn't deserve any of it." She wrapped her arms around herself, seeking a little comfort. Intellectually, she knew none of it was her fault. She wasn't responsible for what happened to the real Nadia, but that didn't stop the shame that clawed at her. No one's life should end the way Nadia's had.

She sighed, thinking through all the years she had spent trying to save Nadia and how blindly she had believed the Ash. Guilt and regret ate at her.

Nadia cocked her head, her focus wholly on her. "And yet you continue to live among those monsters that cursed me," She spoke in an unemotional even-toned voice.

A tangle of emotions tightened Lauren's chest from the thoughts spinning through her mind. "It's more complicated than that." She breathed, her voice cracking slightly with her effort to remain composed.

Nadia continued to glare at her, and a chill ran down Lauren's spine.

"Is it?" Nadia's eyes lit with anger. She quickly blinked and her face transformed back into a collected expression. "They give you a gilded cell and the illusion of freedom, but you are a slave, property. You are nothing to them. And you stay only for her. But too bad for you, you will never be as important to her as she is to you." She leaned into Lauren. "This is not the Lauren I know, sitting idly by while life happens to you. The Fae have broken you. She has broken you."

Lauren recoiled away as those words burned through her. Pain surfaced in her eyes as she looked beyond Nadia at the back wall. She realized this creature's goal was to tug at her worst fears, and yet she couldn't help reacting. "You are not Nadia." She said, gingerly touching her bare chest, there was no necklace in its place, and yet she felt the weight of it.

Deafening silence hung in the air for several minutes, until Nadia spoke, "Tell me, did you even wait until my body was cold before you jumped back in her bed?"

Those words jerked Lauren back to reality. Illusion. None of this was real. "You are not the real Nadia." Her voice was tight as anger shoved aside her guilt.

"Aren't I?" She shot back, icily. "Denial can be such a peaceful place, I imagine. If you never face the truth, you can easily take comfort in the lies."

That answer threw Lauren off, momentarily, before she said. "I know the truth. You are not Nadia." She darted her eyes around the morgue. "None of this is real."

A chuckle slipped from Nadia's lips. "Bo created this reality because it's what she wants." She flashed Lauren a twisted smile that Lauren didn't like.

"That's a lie." Nadia was playing Lauren and testing her resolve. With that in mind, Lauren forced herself to relax and decided to fish for answers. "Why am I here? I didn't enter the temple, only Bo and Dyson did."

Nadia tilted her head and watched Lauren closely. "You were brought here to punish the succubus. Her choice not only damned her own soul but yours and the wolfs as well."

Lauren shuddered as Nadia's cold, clammy hands clamped down on her arm. "She doesn't love you."

With fierce intensity Lauren's eyes met Nadia's. "She does." She attempted to jerk her arm free from Nadia's firm grip, but she dug into her skin.

"And yet there's doubt written all over your face."

Lauren cringed at the overwhelming desire to flee from Nadia. She hated to admit that Nadia's words pressed down on her and doubts surfaced.

Nadia held Lauren's gaze as if challenging her to react. "You are nothing to her. You are nothing more than a mere whore for her liking. Someone to keep her bed warm while she waits for the wolf."

"That's not true." Lauren closed her eyes and breathed slowly. "She loves me." She leaned back a microscopic amount, but she was held in place by Nadia's grip.

"You will never be enough for her. You will always share her body and heart. And she will never trust you as she trusts _him_."

Lauren's heart beat rapidly as the adrenaline pumped, rendering her speechless for a bit.

Nadia clicked her tongue, and said. "There it is."

She worked to ignore Nadia's taunt. She was stronger than this, she called forth the level-headed scientist inside her. She needed answers. "Who are you?" She demanded, determination flowing through her and strengthening her heart.

"Come now, Karen. You can't lose someone who never really belonged to you in the first place." Her voice was loud in the quiet room, and it startled Lauren to feel the force in it. "I can smell your doubt, and it's as delicious as honey. It's there. Maybe you haven't faced it, but you will."

"Stop." Lauren shouted before she could calm herself, anger again rose inside of her. "This is all a ploy to manipulate me. You're just trying to mess with my head. Distract me from helping Bo. It won't work." She yanked away from Nadia's cold hands. "Even if Bo didn't love me, I would still help her, no matter what. You're wasting your time."

"It doesn't matter, you can't help her. She is guilty of crimes against the temple."

A swell of anxiety rushed through her as she struggled to understand. "How do we escape?" She asked, knowing this entity would not answer her.

Nadia laughed out loud, the sound echoed off the walls.

As Lauren was about to repeat her question, Nadia's eyes rolled up into her head. "This place will consume all your souls unless you find the way out." She stared at Lauren with black eyes. "He, who is patient and calculating is waiting in the shadows. He, who is the darkness, will not stop until she fulfills her destiny."

"What are you saying? He, who?" Lauren asked, stunned at what she was witnessing.

A barely audible whisper passed through Nadia's lips. "The Wanderer awaits to guide her toward her destiny. The Pyrippus must rise." Her head lolled back, and her body fell still.

Lauren stared down at Nadia's lifeless body with confusion overflowing in her. What was Nadia…or whoever trying to tell her? She cataloged the information in her head. The temple wants revenge, but another force seeks Bo as well…The wanderer?

Resentment burned deep in her soul. She'd had enough of this, all of it. Nadia or whatever-it-was was wrong, she was still Lauren, she was still strong, and she would find a way through this.

Committed to finding a way out, she walked away from the body. She had no time to further evaluate what had just happened. She needed to talk to Bo, find a way home.

XXXX

Bo trailed her fingers up and down the necklace. "Why do you wear this, even when we make love?" She whispered, softly. "I mean it's just the two of us. You could take it off."

"Well," A long pause. "I guess I'm afraid it would be harder to put it back on every morning than to just leave it on."

Bo sighed sympathetically and dragged her fingers through Lauren's hair. "Yeah, I guess that makes sense."

"Bo, I…"

With a knock on the bedroom door, the sentence remained forever unfinished. And Lauren was gone, disappearing into the locked box in Bo's mind.

Bo tossed and turned, as the dream shifted. Random, bizarre images flashed, and then everything darkened.

Bo wandered through a long, cold corridor. There was someone or something there, that shouldn't be. She felt it drawn to her from the darkness.

Bo halted her steps and glanced between two pathways. With determination, Bo automatically headed down the one on the right.

"The shit you get yourself into," Bo mumbled to herself, her voice echoed and bounced around her.

As she moved further down the walkway, she heard faint voices around her. She couldn't be sure, but they sounded, familiar. As if they jerked at a lost memory, something she couldn't grasp.

Someone was definitely after her. She knew it. Thinking there was a chance she could outrun it, she began to sprint.

She'd barely turned a corner when the stench of rotten flesh hit her. The odor was overpowering, growing stronger as she ran, she covered her mouth with her hand, her eyes fixed in front of her.

Seconds later, she headed down a narrow set of steps to the lower basement. It was cold, the stone walls, floor, and a growing presence lent a chill to the air. She walked down the tunnels, until she stopped at a cell door, with traditional jailhouse bars.

She peered through the window, inside was a small cell with plain walls and a small cot. Her eyes drifted to the side when she caught movement inside. A woman was shackled in rusted metal cuffs linked to a chain above her head. Her body slumped against the steel wall.

As her eyes adjusted to the darkness, a surge of panic ran through her as she realized it was Lauren.

Hearing a groan from Lauren, she called out. "Lauren. Are you okay?"

"Who are you," Lauren asked in a weak voice.

"It's Bo. Are you injured?"

With a chillingly flat voice, Lauren said, "I belong here. Forever in chains."

"I'm going to get you out of there." Bo's hands tightened around the thick steel bars, clinging to them so hard that her knuckles turned white. She angled back and pulled.

"Why now?" Lauren asked, her voice dropped to a whisper.

Silence fell over the small prison cell as Bo rattled the bars with all of her strength. Rage burned through Bo, feeling powerless to help Lauren.

The sound of clanking keys echoed in the distance and at the same time Bo noticed the blood that covered her hands.

"Now we're both prisoners…" Lauren whispered just as a hand clamped down on Bo's shoulder.

Bo's eyes flashed open. A horrid, uneasy feeling grew in the pit of her stomach, and she couldn't understand why. Like she was missing something. But it was only a dream, a dream she couldn't remember.

With her eyes still open, she laid there caught between waking and dreaming, the sensation was familiar. Often she woke feeling like she was still in her dream, not really awake at all. She tried to remember her dream, but the details were gone, all that remained was a troubled feeling. Not that it mattered, dreams were meaningless.

She stirred next to Dyson, waking him. "Bo, what's wrong?" He asked, in a drowsy voice.

Bo closed her eyes, letting her mind wander away from her restlessness. A serious expression washed across her face. "Just a strange dream, don't worry."

"I told you not to have that third glass of wine. It always gives you weird dreams," Dyson chuckled, putting a hand on her shoulder.

Bo swept her fingers over her eyes and plastered a bright smile on her face. "Yeah…" She started and forced lightness into her voice. "Maybe you're right." She slipped out of the bed. Her bare feet hit the plush carpet, and she reached for her robe.

"Where are you going?" He asked, sitting up.

"To get a glass of water," She said over her shoulder as she left the bedroom.

Walking toward the kitchen, she stopped abruptly realizing that someone was at the front door. She froze and listened. After a few seconds, she heard a loud knock.

Cautiously, she walked to the door and stared at it for a long moment before another knock prompted her to turn the doorknob.

As soon as the door swung open, Bo felt the nerves in her stomach buzz, rendering her momentarily mute.

Lauren stood before her under the small porch light. She removed her hoodie and locked eyes with Bo. She looked stricken, scattered. Lauren's stormy eyes pinned Bo for a long tense moment.

After a ragged breath, Bo found her voice, and asked. "Lauren, what are you doing here?"

 **XXX**

 **AN**

 **I wonder if anyone guessed the murder victim was "Nadia".**

 **Also, in canon, I always wonder what Bo did with Lauren's Light Fae necklace? Did she just toss it in a bin, or return it to the Ash? Oh well, not important I guess…**

 **Well, thanks for reading and reviewing.**


	3. Chapter 3

Lauren's mind raced, she hadn't really thought about what she would say to Bo. Her initial plan was flimsy at best. The temple had forced her into an impossible situation. Instinct told her Bo wouldn't believe the truth about the temple, any of it, if she simply blurted out the truth. Logic told her, her role was to guide Bo to the truth. She needed to compartmentalize the issues and take up that role. One thing, Lauren had mastered over the years was the ability to bury her feelings when she needed to. But it was difficult because all she wanted was to tell Bo everything and work together to escape, but this Bo wouldn't believe her, not yet. Given the dire situation they faced, she needed to be cautious.

Lauren stared at Bo, contemplating what to say. She wondered what Bo could have done in the temple for it to seek this kind of revenge. She supposed it didn't matter now.

Bo leaned against the doorframe, watching Lauren mentally struggle. Lauren. She was here, in front of her, in the middle of the night. At her home. Why? Conflicting feelings made her energy drop, and her body sagged.

Moments passed with them staring each other down before Bo spoke again. "Why are you at my house in the middle of the night?" She demanded, wrapping her robe tightly around her body.

Bo's eyes were cold and distant, pushing her away as always. It was like they were strangers in this world, but yet not. She wanted Bo to hold her, just for a moment, so she could feel safe, secure and loved. Which was ridiculous, of course. Saddened by the chasm between them, she pushed aside the dismal reality of her position.

"It's about our case. There's been another murder." Lauren explained, using an official tone. A pang of guilt ripped through her at keeping Bo in the dark.

Skeptical, Bo tilted her head and glared at Lauren. "I'm sure. And it couldn't wait until morning?" Patience had never been Bo's strong suit, and it was stretched to the max.

Lauren lowered her head, gazing at her feet. "I also wanted to see if you were okay. I was worried about you." She said, gently. She blew out a breath, knowing that wouldn't go over well with Bo. She needed to remember Bo wasn't hers anymore, not in this world.

Bo scoffed, and adjusted her posture to an even more, defensive stance.

Right, Lauren needed to focus. Lauren transposed back into a more confident, formal tone of voice and said. "Will you come to the morgue? I need to show you something."

Questions swirled in her mind. Bo swallowed her curiosity, refusing to be manipulated by Lauren. Dyson was right she had to get away from her. Dyson was the only person in her life she could trust. He would always protect her. "No. I will not go with you in the middle of the night to the freaking morgue." She said in the bitterest tone she could muster.

"Okay," Lauren muttered. Determined to keep her dignity, she cleared the emotions from her face. "The victim's name is Nadia. Does that sound familiar to you…" Her voice trailed off as Bo held up a hand, silencing her.

"Why would it? Can't this wait until morning?" Bo's voice was like steel, every bit the cold, emotionless tone Lauren had come to expect from this Bo.

"It's connected to our case," Lauren said, trying to regain all the detachment she could put into her voice.

"Are you stalking me now? Because it's over between us. I'm happy with Dyson." Bo drawled out the word happy, hoping Lauren would catch the emphasis and her meaning.

In spite of herself, Lauren rolled her eyes as her frustration poured off her. "If you keep telling yourself that maybe you'll believe it." She inwardly shuddered, realizing how frankly she'd just shown her annoyance and maybe a little jealousy. She reminded herself Bo and Dyson were both victims of the temple, the same as her, and getting angry wasn't a fair response. It was necessary for her to get her heart and mind back in sync if she was going to pull this off. Escalating arguments further would only work against her.

Bo's eyes flashed with anger. It felt like a knife impaled her at Lauren's words. She moved to slam the door, but Lauren caught it.

Seeing little choice, Lauren decided to press on. She didn't know how she knew, but she sensed everything was connected, and solving the murders would lead them to answers. "I didn't mean that. Can't we put all this behind us and solve this case, together. Lives are at stake here." She said, attempting to get the conversation back on track, back to the case.

"I can't work with you. I can't even look at you without…" Bo's voice cut off as a lump climbed in her throat. Resentment washed over her, knowing she'd let Lauren get to her again. But there was another emotion that hit her. Sadness? But most of all, at that second, she felt angry. Even now, one look from Lauren could send her reeling. She despised that Lauren looked at her with care, with tenderness, with love.

"What?" Lauren prompted when Bo didn't finish her thought.

A somber expression flashed over Bo's face. She quickly looked away, averting her gaze while attempting to hide her emotions. "Nothing."

"Something strange is going on. Honestly, Bo, do you feel it or sense it?" Lauren asked, gesturing her hand wide around her. She found people could be more open to talking when the discussion wasn't directly centered on the real issue.

Bo jerked her head up. In the last few weeks, she did feel off, like something, in her world, had changed, she didn't understand it. The feeling of not belonging began to fester inside her. "Besides you at my door in the middle of the night? No." She lied. No way was she going to tell Lauren what she was feeling.

"Fine. Let's solve this case together and then we can go our separate ways. You'll never have to see me again."

Like a dam bursting, Bo couldn't hold back any longer, and she snapped, "Well, walking away is what you're good at." Her eyes were no longer lacking emotion. They were passionate and angry, and something buried deep inside showed on her face. "You've had lots of practice." She gave Lauren a look of bitterness. And this time, she slammed the door, and Lauren didn't stop her.

Lauren cringed at the door, thinking about what an impossible task laid before her. How was she supposed to make up for this other Lauren's mistakes and gain Bo's trust back?

In this world, they were working to bring down a big-time drug cartel. Lauren started working undercover within the organization, without telling Bo. Fearing a contract hit would be placed on Bo if anyone discovered their relationship, she broke up with Bo. She told her she didn't love her anymore, and that Bo needed to move on. This Lauren did it to distance herself from Bo because she needed to stay secretly undercover for the case. It took a year for the organization to be brought down. By the time, it was solved Bo was with Dyson. Bo hadn't forgiven her for keeping the truth from her. To Bo, Lauren had given her love away in the pursuit of justice, and she lost all her trust.

What a damn, fine mess, she thought. None of it had actually happened but to Bo it was real, and that's what mattered. She felt emotions bubbling up, and she tried to work through which were real and which belonged to the other Lauren. She pushed it all to the recesses of her mind, refusing to be intimidated by the temple.

She walked away from the door. She needed time to think about how to reach Bo, her strategy. The first step was to get Bo to work with her on their case, they needed answers, they needed to follow the clues, the rest would have to wait.

It was as if she was trying to solve a jigsaw puzzle with most of the pieces missing and even more that didn't quite fit. She couldn't get a clear picture, but she was resourceful. She had worked through many difficult situations to make the impossible, possible, and that's what she planned to do here.

XXXX

Early the next morning, Dyson poked his head into Trick's office in time to see the Chief ending a phone call.

"Dyson, my boy, come in." Trick said, gesturing to the chair in front of his desk.

Padding into the office, Dyson smiled uneasily at Trick. He was worried about Bo, and he knew Trick would want to know about it.

"How is everything?" Trick asked, sensing Dyson wanted to talk.

"It's Bo. For the last few weeks, she seems off, conflicted about something. Not herself. I'm worried about her."

Trick scratched the back of his head, pondering that. "Is she still taking her medication? It seemed to help before."

"No," Dyson replied, curtly. "She said she doesn't need it, and I agreed."

"I guess I shouldn't be surprised that our little Bo doesn't take directions well. Although, I'd think she'd listen to her doctor, at least." He smiled and patted Dyson's hand. "No disrespect intended, but it's your duty to watch her, protect her. That's your role."

"Yeah well, it's not easy, keeping things from her." Uneasiness resonated in Dyson's voice.

"What are you keeping from her?" Trick rose to his feet and casually poured himself a cup of coffee. "You love her. You are protecting her from truths she can't face, yet. There's no greater love than that."

Dyson eyed the man who he had been loyal to for so many years. He trusted him almost as if he was his own father. "She doesn't know about our history and relationship," He gestured a finger between them. "Or that you're her grandfather. It feels like lying."

Trick leaned on the edge of the desk. "Those aren't lies, Dyson. It's not your place to tell Bo about any of it. We keep these things from her to protect her."

Dyson blew out a shaky breath. "Sorry, but it's so hard to see her struggling with some inner turmoil." He glanced around the office.

"Work harder to make her happy. If she's happy, she won't worry about anything else."

Dyson shot him an almost hostile glare before it faded. "It's almost as if…well, never mind."

Trick looked into the eyes of his old friend, and he wondered if the blood-thick loyalty between them remained. "What is it?"

Dyson shifted, he sought Trick to ease his concerns, to let his wisdom guide him, but he was only feeling guiltier. "Something just doesn't feel, right, since that night I was attacked in our home, and almost stabbed. It's almost as if she's becoming a different Bo. That's crazy, right?"

Trick waited patiently as Dyson spoke. When he finished, he narrowed his eyes at him. "Maybe she needs to get back on the medication, for her own good."

Dyson's mouth went too dry to swallow, and he shook his head. "No, that's not what she wants." Under the desk, he flexed his hands, making fists.

Trick shrugged and walked back behind his desk. "But maybe it's what she needs."

Dyson's eyes flicked with red rage. On the verge of losing his temper, his phone buzzed. He scanned the message, quickly. "That's the hospital. I need to go."

Trick flipped open the file on his desk. "I'll check on our girl for you, see if I can't help push her in the right direction."

After a moment, Dyson gave a quick nod before retreating from the office. He felt worse and more conflicted than when he arrived. He wondered how lies and deceit could come so easily to Trick when he regarded himself as a noble, respectable man. The shame of keeping things from Bo was starting to eat into his soul, and it was overwhelming at times.

Something was different about Bo, lately, whether she acknowledged it or not. All he wanted to do was grab her and hold her, chase away all the nightmares haunting her. But maybe it was just his imagination. Maybe he was on edge because the woman he loved didn't seem as happy as before. He wished he knew, for sure.

XXXX

Bo's phone vibrated with a text as she clicked the button to unlock her car. She glanced at the screen. A dead boy had been found in a parked car in the middle of a field. Another message appeared with the address.

She slid into the driver's seat, her stress level rising. She knew she should have gotten up earlier to talk to the Chief, but she hadn't slept well, plagued by forgotten nightmares all night. And now it was too late, she would have to spend the morning and probably day with Lauren.

Ten minutes later, her stomach clenched as she parked next to Lauren's car at the crime scene. Facing Lauren after last night and pretending nothing was wrong between them was going to be difficult. She didn't even want to look at Lauren, let alone continue to work with her. She struggled with her emotions, still confused and angry about their encounter. But she couldn't let Lauren distract her.

Bo ducked under the crime scene tape and approached the car with the victim. Lauren was standing a few feet away, getting the details from another officer.

Without a greeting, she brushed passed Lauren and peered into the car to inspect the body. The man had brown hair, with a slim build. He was young, only a teenager. Bo guessed between seventeen and twenty. There was no blood on the body. Instead, it looked like he had been gently placed in the car. Oddly, he appeared as if he was just sleeping.

Bo leaned in closer, to get a better look and froze for a long moment. "He looks familiar." She stood straight and spoke aloud to herself. She shook her head at the ridiculousness of that. She didn't know any teenagers.

That got Lauren's attention. Still standing a few feet away, she asked. "What's that?"

Bo spun around, startled by Lauren's voice.

"You know the victim?" As Lauren spoke she walked up to where Bo was standing.

Bo tensed at Lauren's question. "Newsflash, Lauren. We're not partners anymore."

Lauren stared at her and moved even closer. "I haven't received any paperwork about a transfer."

Bo's look pierced right through her, anger vibrating in her eyes. "A mere technicality, which will soon be corrected."

Lauren debated how best to untangle the mess before her. "Why don't we act like mature professionals?" She nodded her head at the car. "I mean we're standing beside a murdered young man. We're here to catch the bad guys, remember?"

Lauren caught a glint of understanding in Bo's eyes, and she felt her hope rise and her irritation diminish slightly.

Lauren had a point. They were there to work. "We're both here, so let's get to work." Her voice was devoid of emotion and warmth.

"I'm sure the victim will appreciate that." Lauren retorted, matching Bo's coldness.

Bo bit back her response, arguing with Lauren would only make things worse. She refused to look at Lauren. Instead, she focused back on the crime scene. "I don't know him. I said he looked familiar." She answered Lauren's previous question.

Lauren snapped on a latex glove and reached around Bo to lift his shirt. He had what appeared to be bruises on his face, neck, and chest. She checked his wrists, no trace of being tied up. She lifted his eyelids and shined her flashlight on them.

"The scene looks clean, no visible blood in or around the car," Bo remarked, determined to keep the conversation on the case. "There doesn't seem to be any similarities between the victims. Might not be connected."

Lauren continued to look over the victim and the medical examiner, Neal, walked up with his supplies in tow. "What do we have this time?"

Lauren addressed Neal's question. "No visible signs of a struggle. The petechiae on the conjunctiva, face and neck are consistent with asphyxiation." She cleared her throat and glanced at Bo, who was focused on looking for clues around the car. "But of course, we need your professional opinion," She added with a small smile.

Neal nodded and took over examining the body.

Lauren slipped off her gloves and pulled out a notepad to start jotting down details from her quick examination of the body.

Bo wandered back up to Lauren. "This all seems so strange and a little familiar," She whispered to Lauren. Not as emotionless and detached as before. "Maybe a copycat of a case I've read about, I don't know."

Lauren's pen went motionless, suspended above the pad. She glanced back at the car, and then Bo. A shiver raced through her body. She didn't know what Kyle looked like, but she knew enough details about what happened to question whether or not this victim took on his appearance. If a ghost from her past could appear in this world, there was no reason one from Bo's couldn't show up. "I think we need to keep an open mind here and follow what clues we find," She answered ambiguously.

In spite of herself, Bo shot Lauren a half smile. "That's a lot of we's," She said, with a hint of familiar warmness.

Lauren placed her hands on her gun belt, and studied Bo's face, not missing the old spark she glimpsed in them for the briefest of moments. "We're still partners, Bo. And, whether or not, you want to admit it, right now, we work well together, always have."

"Yeah," Bo exhaled, pushing her emotions away with each deep breath. "I…"

Neal's voice broke into their conversation. "Officers I have something."

Both Bo and Lauren jerked their head around to see what he was talking about. They leaned down and watched as he cradled the boy's chin. Slowly he reached into the victim's mouth with a long pair of tweezers and pulled out a small piece of paper.

Bo held out a gloved hand and took it from him. She carefully unfolded it. "There's writing on it."

Lauren leaned in close to Bo, attempting to get a better look. Her breath brushed Bo's skin and goose bumps grew on Bo's arm and neck. She felt an odd mix of excitement that Lauren was close and complete uneasiness. Despite everything, she couldn't help but feel herself getting sucked back in.

A sense of the inevitable settled heavily in her stomach. She couldn't go back there. It ended badly between them, and nothing had changed. Lauren was still Lauren. For a year, she'd buried her feelings and the pain. But something was bringing it all back to the surface again.

Bo inched away from Lauren. She desperately needed a moment to remind herself that Lauren meant nothing to her now.

Bo eyed the crumpled paper in her hand. "It looks like a piece of a flyer," She said, gently smoothing out the paper. "Grimley. That's all I can make out." She turned her head, her eyes locked on Lauren's. "That's where I grew up."

"Why would he be dumped all the way out here?" Neal asked, searching his supplies for an evidence bag.

A good question indeed. Deep in thought, Lauren considered the situation. She needed to find a way to link the victims and guide Bo to the truth.

Bo slipped the paper into a small evidence bag.

Another officer approached the car. "We got a hit on the license plate. The victim is Kyle Williams from Grimley county, a senior in high school. He was reported missing two days ago by his sister."

Lauren shot Bo a look. "Does that name ring any bells?" She asked with a hopeful hint in her voice.

Bo shrugged. "Williams is a pretty common name. I don't know."

Lauren scrubbed her hands down her face, her mind fired off a barrage of questions. Why Nadia, why Kyle? Why any of this? She felt weighed down by all the unanswered questions.

XXXX

Several hours had passed before Lauren and Bo left the scene. In the basement office at the station, Bo paced in front of the crime board, her mind still reeling from the latest murder and the connection to her hometown. On the large white board, they had meticulously arranged all the information, a timeline, and key points of the case. She studied the crime scene photos in front of her. Almost nothing made sense.

Lauren was seated at a long table going over the lab reports from Nadia's autopsy.

Bo suspected Lauren wasn't being completely honest with her. Lauren didn't look surprised when Bo connected the victim to her hometown, and she seemed to think the victim's name should mean something to her. She hadn't pressed her at the crime scene, but now she was determined to get answers. "I have a weird feeling about this case." She gripped the pen in her hand and glanced at Lauren. "What do you think?"

"I think we need to take a trip to your hometown," Lauren answered, promptly.

Bo grunted in frustration. She had no intentions of going on a road trip with Lauren. No way was she going to fall into that trap.

"Do you believe in coincidences?"

No she didn't believe in coincidences, but they needed more clues before they could start putting everything together. Right now, they had more questions than answers. "Could be the killers are trying to distract us, and lead us on some wild-goose chase. We could spend days chasing down a bunch of red herrings."

Lauren looked up and caught Bo's gaze. "Us?" She allowed a hint of a smile to play on her lips.

Bo sat down on the empty seat across from Lauren. She was no quitter, and she knew she couldn't walk away from the case before it was solved. Despite, the personal struggle she needed to find a way to work with Lauren. The tug of duty pulled at her, no matter what their personal feelings were toward each other, there were other people's lives at stake.

Bo hesitated, hoping she'd made the right decision. "I've been thinking, and you're right. No one knows this case as well as we do. I think we should keep working together until it's solved."

Lauren held back her smile. Finally, Bo was coming around, even if only a little. "I'm glad we can agree…on something."

Bo smiled but quickly, she turned away, her smile vanishing. Despite her determination to forget the woman sitting across from her, clearly Lauren still had some kind of hold on her. But she resolved to keep everything between them strictly professional.

"Listen, I'm sorry I dropped by your home unexpectedly last night. It won't happen again." Lauren said, trying to ease some of the tension between them.

Bo only responded to that with a small nod, then shifted back to the case. "No lab reports from this new victim have come in right?" She asked formally. Keeping her emotions locked down was difficult but necessary around Lauren. "No cause of death?"

Lauren shook her head. "Considering we've got two new dead bodies and no solid leads, I think we need to look at all possibilities." She paused and glanced down at Nadia's photo. "No matter how strange it might seem."

"What do you mean strange?"

"Well, I don't think we can ignore the fact that our new vic is from your old town. We should go and search for any leads there."

Bo pushed out of her chair, placing distance between herself and her frustrating ex. "I'll go alone."

"Bo…"

"If we're both working this case one of us needs to stay here," Bo said, settling into her cop persona. "This place is understaffed as it is, we both can't leave on some wild-goose chase."

Lauren folded her arms. "It's not a good idea for you to go alone."

Bo made a sound that was a mix between a snort and a laugh. "I'm a big girl, Lauren. I can watch my own back."

Irritation flashed through Lauren. Why did Bo have to be so stubborn? "I know that," She said with a sigh of frustration.

Silence enveloped the room. Bo glanced at the time, and said, "I'm going home to get some sleep."

Lauren rose to her feet and stepped towards Bo. "I want to help," Her chest heaved with deep breaths. "Just let me." The whisper passed through her lips, she reached for Bo's hand but pulled it back quickly, shoving her hand into her pocket.

Bo rotated away from Lauren's gaze, turning her back to her. Lauren could see her shoulders rising and falling with each breath. Moisture filled Bo's eyes, but she fought against it. No way would she shed another tear for Lauren.

After a moment, Bo turned around. Her face was cold again, though, traces of her hidden angst appeared in her eyes. "I don't trust your judgment on what's considered helping me."

Lauren cringed at the echo from the past, the real world. "All I've ever wanted is to help you, to keep you safe. Any way, I could." She said an answer for both worlds. "You'll never know how sorry I am for all of it."

Bo clenched her jaw, and the rest of her posture remained immobile. Outrage roiled up inside her. She could take care of herself. She hated for anyone to question her independence. Disappointment and betrayal snapped on Bo's face. "You'll never change, will you? You destroy everything, and you're still trying to justify it."

The accusation was deep in her voice, and Lauren cringed again. "My past doesn't define me, just like your past doesn't define you. I'm always here for you, Bo. Remember that, I'm always on your side." She didn't know if she was answering for her own world or this fake world. "Your heart knows mine, even now."

Dammit, Bo needed to get over her hurt, it gave Lauren too much power over her. "Knowing when to trust your instincts is important. And do you know what it tells me about you?"

Lauren lifted her gaze to meet Bo's, noting the hint of vulnerability in her eyes. "What's that?"

"That what we had was as real as it gets. But at the same time, I will never be able to trust you again. I will never forgive you." The words tumbled out and her stomach blistered with uncertainty.

Naked anguish wrenched in Lauren's chest as Bo's words cut in. "I swear to you, I never meant to hurt you. Every decision I make is to help you."

Bo took a deep breath, refusing to care enough to explode. Lauren wasn't her life anymore. After a moment, she said. "I should go. Dyson's waiting for me." She strengthened her resolve by giving Lauren a hard glare as she walked to the door.

"Bo, you are the most capable, strong, compassionate person I've ever met. You don't need a knight in shining armor to be your hero. You are your own hero. Try to remember that when things get tough. When the world doesn't make sense." Tears pooled in her eyes. "Follow your instincts but also, trust your heart."

There was an undercurrent to Lauren's tone that made Bo's stomach prickle. She gritted her teeth and rested her hand on the knob and glanced back at Lauren. "I'll leave first thing in the morning."

"Keep your eyes and ears open. Follow any and all clues no matter how bizarre they might seem." Lauren said just as Bo pulled the door open.

Lauren refrained from chasing after Bo despite the sincere desire to do so. But she had no intention of letting Bo go back to Grimley, alone. Whether Bo liked it or not she planned on following her.

Bo shut the door behind her with a little extra force, and she snapped the locks on her emotions. She needed to shut out Lauren, who was her past, not her present. No one had a perfect relationship, but Bo was determined to make it work with Dyson. What she had with Dyson wasn't as intense or passionate as what she had had with Lauren. But she knew he would never lie to her, their relationship was safe, secure. Clearly, that's what she needed. Now if she could only get her heart to remember that whenever she was around Lauren.

XXXX

After gathering up the various reports, Lauren left the station. She pulled her jacket closer. Lingering guilt, about keeping the truth from Bo, pulled at her. She questioned her decision not to tell her, maybe it was a mistake. No, it was still too soon, Bo didn't trust this Lauren. For now, knowing the truth would be Lauren's burden to carry alone.

She did feel more hopeful than before because she could see hints that Bo was coming along. But a simple apology wouldn't solve everything between them, although Lauren could tell none of the emotions had gone away. Their connection was still there, but it wasn't going to be easy. She could only hope that something would spark curiosity in Bo or trigger some memories.

As she walked her eyes assessed the area, she made the decision to return to the crime scene and search for clues.

"Dr. Lewis."

Lauren halted her steps as she registered the sound of the familiar voice. She turned around, and her eyes went wide in shock. "Lachlan?" Which she knew it wasn't, he was dead, but just like Nadia there he was.

He laughed in triumph and gestured his hands over his suit. "I look good for a dead guy, huh?" He ran his fingers over his chin. "Such a handsome face."

"I don't have time for this," She snapped, her voice tense.

"Don't move, Lauren," Lachlan warned, pinning her with his eyes. "We need to talk to you."

Lauren took a deep breath and dug for control of her emotions. She refused to cower in his presence, she stiffened her spine and stepped closer to him. "Okay, talk. I'm listening."

Lachlan stared at her for a few seconds. He placed a silencing finger to his lips. Before Lauren had a chance to react, and within a blink of an eye, he swung his other arm out and stabbed a needle into her neck.

As the world began to spin violently, Lauren felt the burst of pain in her neck and heard the beating of her own heartbeat. Holding onto her neck, she collapsed into Lachlan's arms, and darkness overtook her.

 **XXXX**

 **AN**

 **To answer a question: Yes, this takes place after the original Dawning. Bo and Dyson never left like in canon. But this world is a little different than the world Dyson created for them the first time.**

 **Thanks for reading and reviewing.**


	4. Chapter 4

_Open your eyes, Lauren._ She could hear her own voice ordering her inside her head. She tried to lift her eyelids, but they were too heavy. Finally, she slowly blinked once, then again with more force until the room came into focus.

Head ringing, she tried to move, but her arms and legs were tied in place. Panic rose from her stomach, clawing throughout her body. She fell back against the chair, willing herself to calm down.

"So you are finally awake."

The familiar voice came from behind her, and everything clicked in her drowsy mind. The entire scene came back to her, and she remembered. Lachlan. She craned her neck around, trying to see him.

Lachlan appeared on her right. "I didn't think you'd ever wake up."

Lauren's head swam, and dizziness overtook her, her eyes drifted closed.

"Wakey, wakey, Dr. Lewis," Lachlan said, slapping Lauren on the cheek a few times.

Lauren blinked slowly, as her eyes focused on Lachlan, who was crouched in front of her.

Lauren licked the crust from her lips, wondering what he'd injected her with and where she was being held. "Kidnapping? How very pedestrian." She said. Speaking the words out loud startled her physically. Dizziness threatened to topple her, but she breathed slowly, willing it away.

Sardonic laughter escaped him, bouncing off the walls around her. "Funny." He leaned in her face. "For a woman tied to a chair."

Despite being kidnapped, she was determined to keep her dignity and not let anything deter her from her task of helping Bo. "Well, am I supposed to be afraid? I know this world is fake." She said, rolling her eyes.

"And you think what happens here doesn't affect your world?" He pushed to his feet, with an exasperated growl. "So naïve."

Deliberately calm, Lauren blew out a breath. "I'm really not in the mood for the villain's monologue, can we get on with it?"

Lachlan's lips twitched into a sneer. "The dead talk to you, because you're dead yourself."

Lauren's heart pounded in her chest, pondering that revelation. Steeling her nerves, and resisting the distraction that nagged at her focus, she shot back. "Yeah, right."

His sneer faded, and he cocked his head. His eyes bore into her, and Lauren saw a glimpse of death reflected in them. "Do you think a human could enter the temple without consequences?" He asked at last.

Her mind raced, darting back and forth through everything that had happened since her awakening. She dug her fingers into the chair but kept her voice and eyes leveled. There was no way she was going to let the temple twist her mind. "I wouldn't even want to postulate, nothing makes sense in Wonderland."

He laughed loudly. "Well, it's the truth. You're dead."

Numb from the last two days, Lauren couldn't wait for this latest barrage of lies to be over. Her voice caught, and it took her two tries to snap out, "Lies, all you people feed me are lies." But as she said the words icy fingers clutched her heart and she shivered.

He gave a careless one-shoulder shrug. "No. When your soul got pulled into the temple what do you think happened to your human body? Be honest with yourself, Lauren. You've already figured this part out because you're highly intelligent. That's why the temple speaks to you, and only you. Death sees death in this place."

Instantly Lauren's fury surged to the surface, hot enough to blister. Just when she started to weld the pieces of this world together, boom another revelation. But she couldn't allow herself to believe it. She knew the monsters of this world wanted to distract her, determined to feast on her doubt. But a little voice inside her told her anything was possible. "Let me be clear, I don't believe your lies. You will not get into my head. You will not manipulate me into submission."

"Tsk, Tsk." Lachlan scoffed. "Still running from the truth. The best part of all this is, Bo's decision to save Dyson's life caused your death. Funny, isn't it? In the end, she really did choose the wolf over you."

"Pretending, for a moment, I believe you about my death, which I don't, did Bo know she was making that decision?"

"Perhaps not. But can you honestly say she would have made a different choice? Faced between the loyal, safe, strong wolf and the secretive, weak, human…what would she choose?"

Without hesitation, Lauren shot back, "I guess we'll never know."

"Interesting that you answer that way."

"Bo would never choose one of her friend's lives over another. She would never make that choice. She would find another way."

"Friends? Curious choice of words." He gave a measured pause. "Maybe you're just afraid of what her real choice would be."

"Are we almost done? I need to go home and feed my cat."

"But Dr. Lewis you have no cat." Lachlan patted her cheek. The words came out with fake syrupy sweetness.

She turned her head away but he leaned forward into her face. "Do you imagine there are any flowers on your gravestone? Who, in your world, would mourn you? What life do you have to go back to? No family, no friends."

Lauren took a measured breath and raised her chin high. "You're lying. I won't play your mind games."

Lachlan displayed the look of someone whose patience had cracked but was being forcibly controlled. "The temple is not pleased with you. This place doesn't like that you've been sniffing around. But we are here to offer you a deal. Stay here. Build a life with Bo in this world. Imagine it. No feedings, no Fae. You can be together as humans, both free from all the burdens of that world. Only here will she ever belong only to you."

Lauren took a deep breath not even considering that offer for a moment. "No chance in hell would I take that deal. Who would ever make such a selfish deal? No one has the right to steal Bo's life away from her, no one." The resolute determination in her eyes backed up her words. "I would rather not have Bo, in the real world, than have her in an illusion."

In her world, Lauren was a slave to the Fae but she still vaguely recalled what it was like to be free. It was something she believed that she would taste again. Even if she could be free, in this world, with Bo, she refused to consider it. But it was a clever tactic by the temple, tempting her that way.

He knelt in front of her again, grabbing her chin and forcing it up so he could look her in the eyes. "You may come to regret that decision."

Finding her courage, she hardened her body and eyes. "Kill me or let me go. I'm done talking." She said, and it sounded convincing even to her own ears.

Lachlan stared at her a long moment, and then to her surprise, he cut her loose.

"Just remember we gave you a chance and you threw it away." He gave her a dismissive wave off.

Clutching the chair, Lauren wobbled to her feet on her own. Once standing, she stared at Lachlan. "This place can't keep the truth from Bo for long. Deep down, she knows who she is, and her true self is fighting to escape. I see it in her eyes."

"She's happy here. Why force her back into a world of pain, of death, a place where it's a constant battle for survival. To a place where the Wanderer awaits."

Lauren examined his face for a time, saying nothing.

"There's that doubt I was waiting for," He jerked his head at the door. "Now leave."

Not giving him a chance to change his mind Lauren hauled open the heavy door and raced up the stairs, following them along to freedom.

XXXX

Bo jolted into consciousness, waking from a nightmare. One so real, so intense, it left her body shaken. But all she could remember from her dream were the voices of a thousand whispers. It turned her nerves, sent chills up and down her body. The dream was gone, lost in her mind. She breathed heavily, struggling to level her mind and steady herself. She placed her hand against her chest. It was slicked with sweat, her camisole top was drenched.

Fighting her fatigue, Bo managed to roll her legs off the bed. She propped herself up and put a hand to her head, wishing her brain would wake up. She focused on her breathing and tried to remember her dream, they were coming more frequently now, more intense.

Forcing her body to move, Bo stood straight and ambled across the room to the bathroom. She turned on the faucet and splashed water on her face.

She stared into the mirror, wondering who exactly was looking back at her. She almost didn't recognize herself. Her eyes seemed distant, everything did. She was tired of feeling lost; it was like she was falling into someone else's life. And all she wanted was her nice, quiet, safe life back.

She frowned as she studied her reflection, pulling her soaked long hair back and tucking it behind her ears. She didn't know why she was worrying so much about a dream. The chances of it meaning anything were pretty slim. But, even aware of that, it didn't stop her senses from reeling as she tried to remember the details.

A noise at the door made her tense, and she stared at the water running down the sink.

Dyson pushed open the bathroom door and paused at the threshold, with a wary frown. "Bad dreams?" He asked concern tightened his eyes.

She turned the water off and reached beside her to grip the towel hanging there. "No, I'm all right." She mumbled as she dried her face.

"I still don't understand why you need to go back to your hometown," He said, trying to draw her into a real discussion.

"It's for my case. It's where the victim's from, it's the only lead we have." She put the towel back and walked past him.

Dyson caught her arm, and she frowned down at his hand. "I don't like it. I need to protect you."

Bo gave him an amused smile. "Protect me from what?"

Dyson pulled his hand back, not sure himself what he'd meant. The words had just slipped out without him thinking. "You are safest with me. I must protect you."

Bo gave him a skeptical look and turned away from him. "I don't need you protecting me. This is my job."

Dyson tracked her movements around the bedroom with his eyes. "I don't want you to go."

Bo squeezed her jaw. As different as Lauren and Dyson were, this mantra of "protecting her" seemed to be the one similar theme between them. She wished they would both understand she didn't need protection. "Well, it's my job, and I'm going," She said, yanking a clean uniform from the closet.

Dyson blocked her path back into the bathroom. "I'm sorry I upset you. I'm just a hopelessly in love doctor, standing in front of a beautiful cop, asking her to forgive him for being a protective jerk."

She knew they were normally happy together, but sometimes, it didn't feel as strong as it should. Sometimes, it felt like too many things were missing between them.

Pushing down those thoughts, Bo smiled and gave him a quick kiss. "It's fine. But I need to get ready."

"You know I love you, right? And I would do anything for you." He brought her hand to his lips and kissed it. "My Bo."

It wouldn't do any good to stay angry with Dyson for trying so hard to make her happy. So, she smiled at him and nodded. "I know, but I'm late."

Dyson smiled but held concern in his eyes. He stepped aside, and said. "Let me know if you need any help with that."

Without responding, Bo stepped into the bathroom and closed the door. She sighed as her mind drifted to Lauren. She was stupid to think about Lauren then, or at all.

She tried to control her frustration, but it wasn't easy. She could feel it rising in her every time she thought about Lauren. One wrong decision could lead to a thousand more, and she couldn't make another mistake with Lauren.

After a few moments more, she snapped herself back to the present and hurried to the shower.

XXXXX

An hour later, Bo was driving her car out of her neighborhood. She let her gaze drift around, the scenery was beautiful, with trees framing the road, immaculate houses lined up on either side of the road. Despite the gorgeousness of the view, her stomach twisted, and the first traces of uneasiness hit her, stinging her heart. As she watched the houses and her neighbors flicker past she felt an odd sense of detachment, like she didn't belong. A sharp pang of discomfort grew every second that she drove.

She pulled out into a city road. The sidewalks teemed with people strolling along, laughing, talking, moving in and out of restaurants, every one of them seemed to be having a great time. Everywhere she looked, the city pulsed with happy people, life.

Bo observed it all with a cop's eye and felt nothing. Lately, she felt as if she was trapped in an endless cycle with little direction and purpose. She tried to shift her focus, she was just tired because of her nightmares. A lack of sleep can do funny things to one's mind after all.

As she drove deeper into the heart of the city, she squeezed the wheel, cursing the restlessness that stayed tucked inside her.

Before she even pulled onto the main road out of town, her phone buzzed. Throwing her hand in the seat next to her, she picked up the phone. The screen flashed in her hand, and her heart skipped a beat. Lauren. It was too early for that. She had too many things on her mind, she didn't need to deal with Lauren.

Her finger lingered over the ignore button, for several seconds. She heaved a heavy sigh and clicked the talk button. "Dennis," She answered, mild irritation exposed in her voice. But curiosity had gotten the better of her, and she wanted to know why Lauren was calling her.

"Bo," Lauren breathed into the phone.

Her heart stopped. With one word she could hear the desperation, and need in her voice.

"What's up?" She asked, trying to act like she wasn't affected by her voice.

"Where are you?" Lauren murmured hastily into the phone.

Bo frowned at the phone, and immediately regretted her decision to answer. "Leaving town. I'm going to Grimley, remember?" She reminded her.

Silence came over the phone, seemingly dragging on for minutes.

"Can you come by my place, first?" Lauren asked, her voice cracked.

Bo's jaw worked back and forth as she grinded out her response between her teeth. She held her breath and counted to ten and then blew it out.

"I need you," Lauren spoke again, resignation in her voice. "Please."

Bo thought about that, and her mind swam with concern and confusion.

"Okay. I'll be right over." Bo told her. She wanted to refuse, but something in Lauren's voice kept her from denying her.

"Thank you," Lauren said, breathing a sigh of relief.

Bo ended the call. Partners. Her partner needed her. That was the most prominent reason why she had agreed to go to her. There were other reasons lingering in her mind, but she ignored those.

At the next light, Bo took a u-turn heading back to Lauren. It wasn't personal. It was business, they were partners, after all.

XXXX

"This better have something to do with our case," Bo said without a word of greeting. No warmth in her voice, it was hard and professional.

For a few seconds, all they did was stare at each other in thick and heavy silence. The wall between them seemed to have grown.

Moments ticked by, Lauren was putting off what she didn't want to say. Apparently, Bo had decided to come over with guns blazing. Lauren worried she was in no state of mind for her to try and win her over.

Lauren gazed directly at her, unflinching, measuring Bo's every expression. She studied her for so long Bo started to feel like a specimen under a microscope.

"Come in," Lauren said at last, opening the door wide.

The quiet, tender tone of Lauren's voice buoyed her frustration. Without a word, Bo stepped past Lauren into the apartment. She turned and folded her arms over her chest. She sighed, overly aware of Lauren's compassionate eyes.

"Are you okay?" Lauren asked, her face serious. Her eyes searched Bo's face as if looking for a wound to heal.

Something inside Bo did ache, a small, invisible wound she couldn't define. "No actually," She said sharply. "I am having ex-girlfriend problems." Her cold façade broke and her eyes softened. It only lasted a second. By the time Lauren blinked, her expression was set and cold once more. "An ex that won't listen or go away." She was already getting riled up just standing near Lauren.

That invisible distance was, even more, present than the last time they were together. Lauren hated that. Hated that Bo could be so close and yet so distant.

"Come on, Bo. Don't. I have something to tell you." She sighed, knowing it wasn't going to be easy to get Bo to believe her.

"Okay. I'm listening." She looked at Lauren, expectantly. Lauren's eyes seemed to hold dark secrets, which she often glimpsed when their eyes met. It sometimes made her wonder what she was hiding. Bo let her musings fade and gave Lauren a hard look.

"What if I told you that there are truths about this world hidden in this case?"

Lauren's tone was gentle, but Bo sensed an agenda behind the question. Her heart slammed against her chest, trying to burst free. Deep down, she suspected the emotional wall she'd built prevented her from thinking clearly about anything related to Lauren. She tipped her head to the side. "What does that mean?"

Lauren cringed and planned her words, carefully. She weighed how much to tell her. "There's a larger mystery going on behind these murders." Each word seemed to tear a new hole, in Lauren's heart, leaving her feeling hollow. She wondered if she should just tell Bo everything. She shook her head, abruptly. She wasn't thinking clearly.

Bo squeezed the bridge of her nose, closed her eyes and began pacing. "You're keeping secrets, again." The irritation was clear in her voice, she didn't turn to look at her. "If you know something just tell me." Her shoulders slumped as if she had deflated.

Lauren's stomach sank. She looked away, so that they both had their backs to each other. "We're all taught that the supernatural, things of myth, don't really exist. But the truth is that they do exist. Not everyone is alike. And someone is keeping that truth hidden in this world."

Those words were not what Bo expected. She jerked around and stared at Lauren's back. "You sound crazy." She folded her arms and rocked on her heels, waiting.

"I know this is hard for you to accept." Slowly, Lauren turned around to face her. "I'm not asking you to believe me, yet. But only to be open to the possibility that it could be true."

"What does this have to do with me?" A chuckle slipped from her lips as she replayed Lauren's words. "You want to believe in fairy tales, go ahead."

"It has everything to do with you." Lauren's keen eyes punctuated her point.

Bo shook her head, rolling her eyes. "Next, you're going to tell me that magical spirits forced you to break up with me."

"No, I take responsibility for my part in that."

"Well, there's a first time for everything."

"You can't always hold the past against me. You've made mistakes, too, Bo. I'm not the only one! So, stop blaming me for everything. I left you, but honestly, you were gone way before I ever left."

"Stop it, Lauren!" Bo warned, angrily. "Don't go down that road." Bo just wanted to punch something. She stormed across the room in a fury. Even though they weren't romantically involved, Lauren still had that same pull that she always had. Lauren unnerved her like no one ever could.

Pressing her fingers to her temples, Lauren shook her head back and forth. "Okay, I'm sorry. That's not why I asked you here."

The silence between them dragged on as they stared at each other from across the room. The tension was thick and unmistakable.

"Why am I here?" Bo finally asked, searching Lauren's face for the answers.

Wordlessly, Lauren walked up to Bo, so close, no more than a few inches from her body. Her hand covered Bo's, and Bo could feel her warmth radiating off her. She took her hand in hers, and Bo's eyes went wide in surprise.

Lauren placed Bo's fingertips on her neck. "Do you feel that?" She whispered.

Bo's pulse skyrocketed as her fingertips slowly glided over Lauren's warm skin. "A small bump." She swallowed and cast her eyes around the room, battling the sudden wave of conflicting emotions that swept through her.

Lauren kept her fingers on Bo's hand. "I was kidnapped last night because I discovered the truth and they're trying to stop me. It's all connected to these murders."

Bo stroked the mark on Lauren's neck, as her words sank in. "Kidnapped?" Bo's gaze shifted to Lauren and softened. "By whom?"

They both fell silent for a moment, and then Lauren spoke, "By the people that don't want the truth to get out."

Warmth and sympathy enfolded Bo, supplanting the cold tension from earlier. "Are you okay?"

Lauren shook her head, staring directly at Bo. She regarded Bo with an expression that was both tender and miserable. "No."

Bo stared back into her eyes, refreshing her memory of every fleck of brown in her eyes. "Did they hurt you?"

Lauren blinked slowly to stave off any tears. "No."

"But you're not okay," Bo whispered. She stared down at Lauren's chest, watching as it rose and fell with her breaths, mesmerized by their closeness.

"Nope." Lauren slid her fingers away from Bo's hand and cupped her cheek. "I haven't been okay in a very long time. I was lost, but I'm starting to find myself, again."

Bo closed her eyes, her arms fell to her sides, and she leaned into Lauren's hand. The warm pressure of her fingers almost undid her, filling her with unexpected pleasure.

"Will you keep an open mind about all this," Lauren's quiet voice trembled. She moved forward, so their lips barely grazed, with a soft puff of air into Bo's mouth, she spoke again. "Please."

Lauren's breath was hot on her face, and Bo was sure she'd stopped breathing. If Lauren moved any closer, they would be kissing, and it made her senses buzz.

A shiver of desire shot into Bo, and her lips fell open. That feeling caused resentment to blaze in her chest, and abruptly, she stepped back and the moment evaporated. "I assure you," She slipped back into her cop voice with a commanding edge, "We will conduct a thorough investigation. I can't stop you from chasing after the creatures of the night, but I plan on solving this case in reality."

Realizing she'd pushed things too far, Lauren stepped further back from Bo. None of it was easy. What they had shared, in their world, wasn't the kind of everyday passion that most people found. It was beyond that, it was unbridled passion and it flooded her whenever Bo looked at her or was near her. Whatever problems they had, whatever distance had begun to grow in their relationship, that passion never wavered, and Lauren knew it never would. But that was her world, and things were different here.

"One thing we've learned on this job is that people and things are rarely what they seem. Why is this any different?" Lauren asked, earnestly.

Bo glanced down at her hands that seemed to burn with the memory of Lauren's skin beneath them. That incensed her more than Lauren's words. With a quick headshake she dislodged those thoughts and she spat out, "Well, you are right, that people are often not what they seem." She gave Lauren a meaningful once over.

"Dammit, Bo! Why don't you take off your blinders? I'm not the bad guy, here. Just because I left you doesn't mean I'm lying about this. You're so angry with me that you won't even look at this with an open mind." She sighed, wearily. She had no energy left to fight, it was too much over a short period of time. She rubbed her forehead, trying to ease the throbbing in her head, the persistent ache that seemed to be growing more intense.

Lauren looked so drained that Bo started to go to her, but she planted her feet instead. Why did she still want to comfort her, to touch her? She closed her eyes and tried to shove away the ache in her chest.

When Bo opened her eyes, Lauren stepped close to her. "You can hate me, but I'm telling you the truth."

Tension wrapped around Bo's heart and squeezed. She didn't hate Lauren, she could never hate her, even when she wanted to. The look in Lauren's eyes compelled her to surrender. "I'll give you the chance to show me some proof."

Getting Bo to believe the existence of the supernatural was going to be difficult enough. The rest of it, her Dawning, the temple, and the strange tale that led them to this place seemed nearly impossible. She opted to start with the truth about Bo herself. "Okay," In a slow, graceful move Lauren took Bo's hand, resting it on top of her palm.

Lauren's touch was light, warm and it sent a flicker of sensations surging up Bo's arm. Her feelings were in chaos, her heart beating hard and fast.

Lauren hesitated a moment and then covered Bo's hand with her other hand. "You are a succubus, Bo," She told her, hoping that saying the words out loud would spark some kind of intuitive understanding in Bo. "But your heart drives you to be a protector of strangers and those you love."

Bo's brows pinched and then she barked out nervous laughter. "I know, I'm talented in bed, but a succubus really, Lauren? Have you been smoking something?" Her expression shifted to one of annoyed confusion.

Lauren's mind drifted back to the first time she told Bo she was a succubus. The seriousness faded from Lauren's eyes, and she almost smiled. Almost. "It's true." Her expression shifted back to concern and sincerity. "I have a feeling that power is locked inside you."

Bo couldn't bring herself to believe any of this was true. "Lauren, you really are crazy. What did they inject you with?" Bo tried to pull back her hand, but Lauren tightened her hold, keeping Bo's hand locked in between her hands.

"Close your eyes and concentrate. Succubi have the power to influence another person's emotions and desires through touch, focus on that." Lauren's tone firmed with conviction. "You need to be awoken as I was."

Bo started to argue but merely huffed and tapped her foot. Her stubborn streak remained with her even in this place. But Lauren was as insistent as Bo was stubborn.

Lauren continued, undeterred by Bo's attitude. "You wanted proof." Her words came out almost breathlessly. "Try to clear your mind."

Frustration bounced around Bo's already tense insides. She drew a long breath, held it a few seconds in a vain attempt to regain control of her temper, and then exhaled slowly.

She stared into Lauren's light brown eyes, lost in the force of them. The room suddenly felt very hot, then, something peculiar roused inside her, and a shiver of awareness shot down her spine, and she stiffened. The sensation passed within a half-second, leaving nothing but emptiness and bewilderment.

"I'm not ready," The words came out of Bo, slipping freely from her lips. She wasn't even sure what she meant by those words, but she felt in her gut it was the truth. "Don't make me do this." The note of nervousness in her voice equaled the one in her heartbeat.

Lauren released her hand and cupped her cheeks in her palms, tilting her head up to meet her eyes. "Did you feel something?"

Tearing her eyes away from Lauren, she shook her head quickly. "No," She said but realized that was a lie. She had felt something, maybe, she was still puzzled about it.

"We can go slowly," Lauren said, softly.

Bo's chest grew heavy with indecision. She decided to stick with denial. "I know you don't want to hear this, Lauren, but someone's playing a practical joke on you, or they injected you with some hallucinogenic drugs. There's no such thing as the supernatural. And I'm not a succubus. Don't you think I would know something like that about myself?"

Questions were a good sign, Lauren thought. At least, she was thinking about it, and not shutting down into a catatonic state or something. "Not if someone's working to keep the truth from you. You must feel something, a sense that you are in danger even when there is no imminent threat."

A distant look filled Bo's eyes and then cleared, turning heated. "Right, the boogeyman, I forgot, and he only speaks to you. Convenient."

Losing patience, Lauren's head tilted back and she spoke to the ceiling. "You are the most hardheaded, frustrating…"

Those words sent a jolt of anger through Bo. She stormed past Lauren, heading to the door. "You tell me I'm a succubus, and I'm just supposed to believe you?" She grabbed the door handle and yanked it open hard. "We're cops Lauren we need proof, evidence, hard facts. And you, my dear, aren't the most reliable source of information."

Bo held her gaze, cool and steady, watching the hurt ripple in Lauren's eyes, and felt guilty for it, but on some warped level, it satisfied her at the same time.

Lauren sighed to release her hurt and reminded herself that none of this was Bo's fault. It was the temple. "We're running out of time." She could see she'd pushed Bo to her breaking point." I need you to trust me."

Bo cocked her head and shot her an accusing look. "Why are you doing this?"

A hint of fear surfaced on Lauren's expression in a swell that only Bo could detect. "Because it's the truth." Her voice dipped to a low whisper. "And because I love you."

Bo's heart raced, thumping erratically in her throat, and she wondered if Lauren was just manipulating her emotions with her confession. Lauren's words kept repeating in her mind and with each repetition, she felt more exasperated.

Bo swallowed and blinked, slowly. Once. Twice. Three times. "I have to go. I need to get to Grimley. I'm already late."

As she stepped over the threshold, she heard Lauren ask her to stay. She ignored her call and closed the door behind her. She felt an unexplainable urge to turn back around and go to her. But as tempting as it seemed, she walked away from Lauren. And somehow it felt wrong like she was moving in the wrong direction, but that didn't stop her from walking away, anyway.

 **XXXXX**

 **AN**

 **Next chapter: Bo makes a shocking discovery when she tries to leave town.**

 **Thanks for reading and reviewing :)**


	5. Chapter 5

During her drive, Bo sat and asked herself questions she'd wanted to avoid considering, played out dozens of various scenarios of how her life could be right now had things been different. An agonizing emptiness grew inside her.

Do the battle wounds of love ever really mend? Bo wasn't sure. Everything in her told her to forget Lauren, to move on. Why did she still care so much about an old relationship, the hurt? Maybe those wounds never healed, never went away, you only learned to live with it. And she feared Lauren never loved her as she loved her. Not really. How could she have walked away so easily, if she had? She just stood there and broke her heart into a million pieces. She heard her pleas, saw her tears, and none of it mattered.

But was Lauren really the soulless villain she'd relegated her to be a year ago? No. Her pride, disappointment in Lauren and loyalty to Dyson had prevented her from forgiving Lauren when she learned the truth. Was she supposed to just to leave Dyson and fall back into Lauren's arms? No. She couldn't do that. Dyson didn't deserve that.

Dyson was there, her rock, the one constant. What they lacked in passion and intensity, they made up for in friendship and loyalty.

The only thing Bo was certain of, at that moment, was that she was getting more and more worked up as her mind drifted. So many emotions, so much conflict warred inside her as her heart tried to decide right from wrong. As much as she struggled against it, she couldn't separate her anger and disappointment from her real feelings for Lauren. Not yet. She simply wasn't that mature or emotionally developed.

Despite all that, she was worried about Lauren and her crazy stories about monsters. She was still in shock that Lauren, a smart woman, would believe something so outrageous. Truthfully, Lauren sounded crazy, but in her heart, she could see Lauren fully believed her own words. Bo groaned. It shouldn't bother her. None of it was her problem.

She was troubled and puzzled about literally everything, and she planned on dealing with Lauren's revelation about her, on her own terms, when she was ready to face it. Those were all issues for another day.

On the way out of town, Bo noticed road closed signs and flashing lights ahead of her. She muttered a curse under her breath as she approached the traffic officer in the street. He waved her down, signaling her to pull over. Bo rolled down her window, tilted her head up and gave the man a cranky glare. "What's going on?" She asked, the annoyance clear in her tone.

"Sorry, ma'am. This highway is closed. You'll have to turn back."

"Why?"

"We've had an incident."

"What kind of incident?" Bo pulled out her badge from her glove compartment. "Well, I'm a cop, so…" She flashed him her badge with a smile.

"Sorry, I can't let anyone through, not even you. Those are my orders."

Bo shot him an icy scowl. "I need to get to Grimley."

"I'm afraid you won't get there today."

Bo shook her head to that unhelpful response. "Let me talk to your supervisor," She demanded, sounding affronted by the situation.

He sighed and walked away from her, shaking his head.

XXXXX

As Bo sat and waited, another car pulled up behind close her. Checking her rearview mirror, Bo surveyed the vehicle. It looked familiar, and then she saw Lauren's blonde hair.

With a string of curses, Bo jumped out of the car and marched to Lauren. As she stormed to her, slowly the foolishness of Lauren's actions worked its way through her mind, turning her more heated.

She rapidly drummed her knuckles on the window, huffing in irritation.

Lauren tightened her resolve, preparing for Bo's angry, verbal assault. "Hey there, stranger." Lauren greeted her with a broad smile.

From the way Bo's face flushed an angry red, it was clear to Lauren that was the wrong thing to say.

Bo leaned into the car. "What are you doing here?" She shot back. Her words were sharp and laced with just a hint of vehemence.

"Relax, Bo. I'm here for our case. What's going on?" Lauren nodded her head at the road signs.

Bo frowned, not believing Lauren's motivation for one second. "In other words, just your usual ignoring my wishes, pushing your way into my life," She said and pressed her lips together in spite.

Avoiding Bo's heated stare, Lauren ran her palms over the steering wheel. "You need me, Bo. If you would just get past your hurt, your pride, for a second, you'd see that we're in this together. Be reasonable…"

Bo was aghast. She pushed away from the window as she cut Lauren off. "Don't start!"

"Knock off the attitude, Bo." Lauren snapped back, and then hesitated as she gripped the steering wheel. She had to bring forth the detached and disciplined scientist part of herself that allowed her to do a task without letting her feelings affect her. How many years had she been able to endure just by embracing that part of herself? Too many. And she could do that now, for a while longer.

"Why is the road closed?" Lauren softened her tone, not wanting to upset Bo any further. "It's a little strange, don't you think," She prompted, trying to get Bo thinking deeper about the situation. "Maybe someone is trying to prevent you from getting to Grimley," She suggested, narrowing her eyes, carefully, at Bo.

Bo began pacing beside Lauren's car when a flurry of irritated energy hit her. But the situation was odd, she admitted to herself. "Wh-"

Suddenly a loud growl followed by a man's scream interrupted their conversation. Bo craned her head around toward the commotion. Her hand flew to her hip, ready to draw her weapon, which she realized was still in her car. She swallowed a curse.

"It's here!" The traffic cop shouted from a distance. "Help me," He cried in terror.

It? Seriously? Bo said inside her head as she met Lauren's gaze without flinching. Training and instinct kicked in, both silently acknowledging the threatening situation.

Bo crouched down, circling the car, trying to get a visual on what had made the sound. Lauren pulled out her weapon from her glove compartment and climbed out of the car.

"What was that?" Lauren whispered, squatting next to Bo. The lingering tension from their earlier exchange dissipated, and they focused on the danger, their differences faded into irrelevance.

"Bear?" Bo suggested, but Lauren didn't buy it. "I think that traffic cop's in danger," She whispered, crouching and peering under the car. Her whole body seemed to tingle with awareness as more high-pitched snarls sounded in the distance.

Lauren nodded her understanding and pulled out her phone to call for backup. With a long groan, she turned to Bo. "No, cell phone signal." She shifted restlessly and put away her phone.

Bo held up a hand and articulated a low 'hush'. She stopped breathing and tried to listen. The air grew denser, and alarm jolted through Bo when she heard someone start to scream.

Purposeful and slowly, they crept around the car. In the distance, another loud growl boomed. Bo tilted her head, and Lauren immediately started scanning the scene in the other direction.

"Maybe we should split up. We'll cover more ground." Even as Lauren said the words the mingled sounds of loud howls and screaming ricocheted in the distance.

Bo broke into a sweat that had nothing to do with the sun beating down on her. "No! I'm not leaving you….Not again." She cleared her throat and tried to squash the note of panic in her voice. "There's safety in numbers. We should stick together."

Lauren smiled and glanced at Bo, giving her silent encouragement, letting her know she could handle herself.

Bo drifted her eyes around them and shook her head quickly. She turned back to Lauren with worry on her face. "You are the bossiest, most stubborn…."

Lauren's eyebrows shot up, and her smile widened. "Yeah? Look who's talking."

Bo held her tongue, but as the seconds ticked by she finally said, "Be careful, Lauren, because I…" She bit off the last of her words. She wanted to tell her that she couldn't lose her, but the words slipped away. She swallowed the apprehension growing in her gut, stirred by the thought of what would happen if they separated.

Surprising Bo, Lauren pressed a kiss to her forehead. She didn't allow Bo the chance to counter as she swiftly disappeared around the car.

Bo had no choice, but to trust that Lauren would be safe. She conquered her fear and drove it back into submission. She needed to focus on the task at hand. With that in mind, she crept to her Prius to retrieve her gun.

XXXX

Lauren had just reached the edge of the thick foliage when subtle movement caught her attention. She lifted her head slightly with a frown, and anxiety snapped at her chest when she heard a voice. It got louder as she walked forward.

"Come out!" The traffic cop's voice rang out, loudly.

Lauren eased her weapon from her hips holster as she stepped forward into the clearing. She felt adrenaline slide through her, as she let her eyes assess him and the danger.

"There you are, Lauren." The man's voice was loaded with satisfaction. "Didn't we offer you a deal, an escape?"

"Who are you?" Lauren demanded, refusing to allow any fear to enter her tone. She attempted to take another step.

"Stay there!" The man shouted. "Call me the caretaker of this reality. This is my home." He gave her a sharp, disgusted look. "How do you imagine you're getting out of this? Have you bothered to ask yourself one vital question? Are you sure you can exist here much longer?"

Resentment burned at the back of her throat. "If you could destroy me, you would have done it already. I suspect there's a third party involved, someone who's keeping me here. That person caused my awakening and is helping me." She wasn't sure, but her theory was that they had realized what was happening with Bo and Dyson, and she was sent in while Trick and Kenzi were helping her from the outside. That was her theory, anyway, no way to prove it, but she felt the truth of it.

Lauren lifted her gun and clicked at the safety catch. "See, I don't believe the temple pulled my soul in, I think I volunteered, knowing I could reach and rescue, Bo."

"Pure conjecture. As usual, you've made incorrect assumptions." He tilted his head, searching her face. "Why don't you have those memories?"

Lauren shrugged, and clenched on the gun's grip. "I have no memories after Dyson and Bo entered the Temple. Anything could have happened after that."

"Bizarre for a scientist to believe something based on feelings and not facts and evidence."

Lauren stared back with narrowed eyes and a taut jaw. "I've learned a thing or two from Bo."

"I see through your false bravado." He threw his head back and laughed, the sound was raw and animalistic, more like a snarl. "There are other things to consider here. None of this matters, you're dead, anyway. So, take our deal. Build a life with Bo, here."

Edging through the trees, with her gun drawn, Bo kept her eyes alert, in an effort, to keep from being surprised by anything. When she reached the edge of the foliage, she paused and her gaze skittered around taking in the details. Then she saw it. Lauren with her gun pointed at the traffic cop from earlier. She wasn't sure what she was seeing, but her instant reflexes told her it wasn't good, her stomach knotted.

She didn't dare call out her name. She stayed focused as she searched the area for a way to get to him from behind. Inside, her heart lodged in her throat as a thousand gut twisting possibilities funneled through her thoughts in a few quick seconds. Bo gauged the chances of getting a jump on him. Decision made, Bo hunched down and crept closer with her weapon aimed out front.

A movement in Lauren's peripheral vision caught her attention. She glanced over in time to see Bo inch closer to them. Her eyes stung with sweat but resisted the urge to react. "I'm going to count to three and then I'm going to start shooting," She warned, lifting her gun up.

"Congratulations, Dr. Lewis, that's strike two. You're running out of chances and time."

Without warning, the gun dropped from Lauren's hand as her arm went numb. It hit the ground. He shot a flare into the air, taking Bo and Lauren off guard before he ran off.

As the flare flew into the sky, Bo rolled behind a tree, using it as a shield.

Everything next happened in a haze. Nausea swamped Lauren, and her body went limp, the force of it knocked her off balance, forcing her down onto one knee. Every inch of her began to feel numb as she watched the caretaker disappear into the trees.

At the same time, with a loud growl, something hard barreled into Bo, knocking her weapon from her hand. With unexplained ferocity, the impact pressed all the air out of her lung, for a frozen moment, the world whirled.

As Bo lay on the hard ground, the massive creature snarled and clawed at her flesh like a rabid beast. Fiery pain exploded in her body when it landed a blow on her face, cutting deeply into her skin.

It sank its teeth into her shoulder. Collecting all her strength, she twisted to the side and kicked it hard flinging it off her. Swiveling to her left, Bo barely avoided another blow from its claws. With shaky arms and legs, she dragged herself to her feet and clutched the tree for support.

The beast snarled and bared its teeth at her. Bo slowly shook her head, refusing to believe what she was seeing. It wasn't possible. The creature with the shape of a man was covered in fur, horns curled from its skull, claws stretched and balled into fists.

She swept her gaze around, frantically looking for her weapon. Sweat trickled down her spine, and her blood spilled onto the ground. Desperately, her mind struggled to make sense of what was happening. As she did so, the beast snarled, licking its tongue over its fangs.

Just as Bo's eyes landed on her gun and she reached for it, she called out as its claws scraped across her chest. The beast roared, but before it had a chance to attack again, a sound sliced through the air. Gore exploded out of the beast as the spray of gunfire sounded again. The creature crumpled to the ground as it released a high-pitched wail.

Bo gasped for breath, falling back into the tree. She gripped it, holding her body upright while staring at the scene in horror.

XXXXX

Lauren stood over the corpse with her gun raised. Cautiously, she looked down at it in revulsion as she surveyed the beast. She didn't recognize it.

Bo's chest labored more from her fear than from her exertions. "What the hell is that?" She asked, her voice tinged with pain. "It stinks." She wrinkled her nose in disgust.

Lauren didn't answer as she kept her eyes on the creature with her mind racing for answers.

With a grimace, Bo rose to her feet. "You okay?" Light-headed, she braced her hands on her thighs.

Lauren nodded before putting her weapon away. Bo moved closer and winced as she stepped around the body, pain etching her features. "Are you hurt," Lauren asked her, with increasing concern.

"I'm fine," Bo lied. Bo thrust her hands against her chest, the pain more piercing now. From the corner of her eyes, she saw Lauren stepping closer to her. Her chest throbbed, and she felt dizzy with pain.

Blood leaked from the cuts on her face and the slashes on her uniform. Without warning, the dizziness hit Bo harder. She dropped to her knees, everything around her blurred as she became more aware of the sharp pain in her chest.

"Bo!" Lauren called out, as she reached to catch her. Lauren transformed into an in-control doctor, capable of putting away her emotions and treating her patient. Clinical, and calm. She fell to her knees beside Bo, who was lying on her back.

She ripped opened Bo's uniform to get a visual exam of her wounds. She took a few mental notes of Bo's overall condition, to get a feel for what needed to be attended to first. A deep puncture across her chest oozed a seeping, slow, steady stream of blood.

Lauren brushed her fingers over Bo's skin around the cuts. Her touch was warm and tender, and pleasurably familiar on Bo's skin.

"Lauren, what are you doing?" Bo's words came out slurred, and her eyes fluttered open and shut.

"We don't have time for false modesty here." Carefully, she peeled back the fabric, which was soaked with blood. "Bo, listen to me. I'm a medical doctor." Her expression desperate, her voice commanding, and strong. "I have to slow the bleeding." She tore off the sleeve of her uniform and applied pressure to the wound, pressing it hard against Bo's skin.

Bo's face contorted as confusion and fogginess blanketed her brain. "That doesn't make sense," She swallowed, and her breath quickened. "What are you talking about?"

That annoyed Lauren so much, she snapped at Bo. "That's a conversation for another time." Quickly, the tension in Lauren's features eased. "We don't have much time."

A complex expression passed over Bo's serious face, acceptance, and even, oddly, understanding. "Okay," Bo said between pain-locked teeth. "Bad?" She asked.

"I'll wrap it as much as I can," Lauren looked around them. "I have a first aid kit in my car," She glanced down at Bo, she placed Bo's hand over the fabric covering her wound. "Do you think you can hold this in place while I get the kit?" She asked, watching blood streaks run down Bo's neck and chest.

"Just help me up and I can go with you."

Lauren let out a frustrated sigh. "I don't think…."

"Lauren, please."

Lauren threw up her hands in dismay, and she squared her stance. "The wound is deep, Bo, and if the entry had been slightly lower, well let's just say bleeding out is a high risk."

Bo managed a laugh. "You should have a look at the other guy," She said, trying to joke.

Bo's smile faded into a frown, on the brink of arguing until Lauren blew out a sigh and gave her a look. Bo read it clearly as one of authority and resolve. "All right," She finally agreed.

"Please keep the pressure on your chest, while I get my kit," She said, and placed Bo's weapon in her free hand.

Bo muttered something under her breath but complied by pressing her hand against the opening of her injury.

XXXXX

Minutes later, Lauren returned out of breath, carrying the first aid kit and a bottle of water. Bo leaned against a tree with Lauren's shirt pressed on her chest.

Lauren handed Bo the bottle of water and a few aspirin before looking over her supplies. She rummaged through the first aid kit and didn't find a pair of latex gloves. Lauren sighed but found an alcohol wipe and cleaned off her hands as best she could. It was far from sterile, but it would have to do.

Bo watched Lauren prepare and fumbled for the bottle of water, broke the seal, popped the pills into her mouth, and drank most of the water before stopping.

"A few of these lacerations will need suturing at the hospital," Lauren told her, "I'm going to clean and wrap you up and then take you to the hospital as soon as possible," She stated with confidence and authority ringing clearly in her voice.

Lauren helped Bo remove her uniform shirt to inspect her cuts. Nearly every inch of her face, neck, and chest, she saw bleeding cuts and contusions.

Lauren's hands were steady and sure as she went to work. Lauren washed Bo's chest and neck with the remaining water and a few more antiseptic wipes.

As Lauren rubbed her wounds with the small square, it stung like hell, and Bo winced. "Ow!"

"I'm trying to save you from getting an infection," Lauren chastised.

A smirk crossed Bo's face, and she quietly watched Lauren work, noting the tension in her jaw and the focus in her narrowed gaze. It amazed her how purposeful, and gentle Lauren's hands were on her. As resistant as she'd been to have Lauren tag along, Bo was suddenly grateful she was there now. "You really look like you know what you're doing."

"Yeah, not my first time," Lauren muttered, clearly dismissing her statement. She finished sanitizing and placed a sterile pad over the deep gash on Bo's chest.

Every time Lauren's fingers grazed her skin, a delicate shiver ran down Bo's spine. Her tongue came out to quickly wet her lips before she moved on to the most obvious question. "What was that, Lauren?"

"I don't know," Lauren answered a little miffed, grabbing a roll of tape before fastening down the pad on Bo's wound.

Bo contemplated the events for a long moment, and then asked, "Was it one of those fairy tale creatures you were talking about?"

Lauren's gaze lifted to hers. "What do you think?" She asked, before closing her eyes and took a deep cleansing breath, and then opened them again. "You have to decide for yourself what you want to believe." She stated and moved on to clean and dress the more shallow wounds on Bo's face.

As Lauren cleaned the cuts, she let her long, graceful fingers glide along the curve of Bo's face and down to her jaw, careful of her injuries.

Lauren's touch was feather light, but it still managed to raise the hairs on the back of Bo's neck. She knew she shouldn't let Lauren touch her like that, but out there, alone and injured, she couldn't find the will to care or stop her. When Lauren met her gaze, Bo's stomach did a slow, lazy roll. She couldn't help but enjoy the comforting touch, letting it trickle through her and calm her body.

Bo turned her head though the motion only pressed her face harder against Lauren's hand. Her hand was warm and steady, holding her tenderly without confining her.

An involuntary shiver crept down her spine, and she gently covered Lauren's hand to stop her movements. "I don't know what to think about anything" She deliberately paused. "Anymore."

A few seconds of silence fell as Lauren cleaned Bo's face.

Bo frowned and studied Lauren's face before shifting topics. "I saw you talking to the traffic cop, where did he go?"

Lauren looked up at her from her work, her brown eyes bright with a mixture of emotions. "He ran off," She stated, simply.

Bo had expected more of an explanation, but she nodded, telling her she understood. "Thank you, for everything Lauren," She said, staring directly into Lauren's eyes. A short laugh broke out of Bo. "Turns out, you sure are handy in a pinch."

"Thanks," Lauren gave a small grin. "And you're welcome." She whispered and stared pointedly down at where Bo's hand still rested on her.

Bo followed Lauren's gaze, snatched her hand back, and shifted guiltily.

Lauren ripped open another pack of gauze with her teeth and covered the entrance wounds with thick pads and bound them in place.

Bo held steady as Lauren worked. Pain shot through her injuries, and she gripped her body to brace it, trying her best to ignore the pain.

"Lauren."

"I'm almost done," Lauren answered the question Bo didn't ask.

Bo winced, and Lauren lifted her eyes up. "Did I hurt you?" She asked pulling her hand back with somberness in her gaze; emotions poured out of her.

Her eyes told Bo so much, and all of it in silence. Then Bo leaned forward, and Lauren did too, and until they ended up forehead to forehead, still looking deeply into each other's eyes.

"I don't know how to heal your other wounds," Lauren said, her voice was soft but very tense, almost a whisper, placing her hand on Bo's chest. She didn't clarify her meaning further, but Bo seemed to know exactly what she was talking about anyway, as her chest moved up and down rapidly under Lauren's touch.

A crazy, screaming part of her urged her to kiss Lauren. She licked her lips slowly and tilted her head. Bo's chest constricted with something hot and hurting. "You can't…do anything…right now." The words were spoken in a whisper, barely brushing against Lauren's lips.

"I could if you'd let me try." Lauren frowned, and pulled back, not far, but far enough that she could focus on Bo's eyes. "We should get moving," she said in a voice breathy and soft. She turned away wearily. "I need to take you to the hospital."

Bo gave a quick nod; she was sweating, and her face paled with pain.

Not wanting to waste any more time, she leaned down and wrapped Bo's arm around her neck and helped her climb to her feet. With a pained grunt, Bo heaved herself up. Then Lauren half carried, half dragged her toward the cars.

Bo tried to help, but her feet weren't cooperating. She moved slow, gasping at the stabbing pain in her chest and body.

XXXXX

Lauren helped her to her car and then lowered her to the back seat.

"Thank you." Bo actually smiled at Lauren, and her brown eyes shimmered with genuine gratitude. A flash of affection and vulnerability shone in her eyes that made Lauren want to go to her and pull her into her arms and comfort her. She had been through a lot that day and all Lauren wanted to do was hold her. But it was clear that still wasn't an option between them.

Despite her attempt to keep up barriers with Lauren, Bo was beginning to believe in her again. She could see the sincerity in her eyes. But she hated to admit she was wrong, but she owed it to herself to be a realist.

Bo's expression relaxed and actually grew apologetic. "I'm sorry if I've been difficult, but all this has been kind of hard on me and confusing," She whispered from the backseat, her voice gravelly, thick with emotions raging out of control inside her. "It all seems so…well…crazy. I don't know how I'm supposed to believe that I'm secretly a succubus." In spite of it all, Bo laughed, it sounded crazy spoken out loud. "I want the whole story, Lauren. I want you to tell me everything that you know. No more secrets."

Lauren studied Bo for several seconds. "Not all of it is going to be easy to believe. And, some of it, you'll have to take on instinct, and trust." She felt relieved that things seemed to be mending between them, at least, a little. Bo was open to hearing the truth, and that was encouraging. "What sold you? The creature that attacked you." Lauren asked, there was slight amusement in her voice, but her face was fixed and sharp.

Bo didn't answer immediately, but Lauren could see she was thinking it over, and that she was making a tiny step of progress with her.

"Yes and no." Bo hesitated on how the phrase her next words. "I've just been reconsidering so much, and I've felt like something was off for a while." Her face fell, turning hesitant again, as she suddenly reexamined her words. "I know…I need to be better about trusting you. I just keep thinking…"

Lauren frowned. "Thinking what?"

"Well," Bo said, awkwardly turning away from Lauren. "I have a bad feeling about all this." She sighed. "I'm afraid." Until those words came out of her mouth, she didn't realize the truth of it. "I don't know what I want," She admitted, all her thoughts came out as slightly muddled ramblings. "I loved you, and you destroyed my heart." Her words started coming out slurred, and jumbled, confusion swam in her head. "I do love you, but we're not…maybe we just don't work as a couple." The color drained from Bo's face, and her eyes drooped. "There's too much collateral damage when we're together."

"Wait," Lauren took Bo's wrist to get her pulse. It was weak. She placed her other hand on Bo's forehead for several seconds. She was burning up. She cursed herself for wasting so much time and not getting on the road sooner. "We should hurry. I've done my best to slow the bleeding, but you need medical attention." She placed a warm, reassuring hand on Bo's knee. "You're going to be fine, Bo. I promise." She spoke in a soft but authoritative tone.

Bo squeezed her eyes closed, and sweat poured down her face when a sharp pain hit her. She gave Lauren a weak smile. "And you're here. That's what counts." As the words slipped out, Bo fell into unconsciousness.

XXXXX

Bo woke up in a sterile-looking hospital room. She was hooked up to an IV, and she blinked up at the white ceiling. She immediately became aware of the deep pain in her chest, and memories came flooding back. The creature, Lauren, their talk. She closed her eyes, fighting off the drowsiness.

"Thank god, you're awake!"

Bo slowly turned her head toward the sound of the familiar voice to find Dyson sitting in a chair next to her. Relief was evident in his expression. "How do you feel?" He asked, brushing the hair from her face.

She tried to swallow, but her mouth was dry. Her mouth felt like it was filled with cotton balls. "Where's Lauren?"

His face fell, and his body stiffened. "I sent her away. I'm here now." He reached over and picked up a cup of ice, moistening her lips. His face lifted into a smile. "I'll take care of you, you don't need Lauren."

Their eyes met, and the words Bo wanted to say next drained away. Sympathy, and compassion were reflected in his eyes, and she suddenly felt conflicted again about her feelings for Lauren.

She lowered her eyes, feeling a trace of guilt. "What happened?" She asked, changing the subject.

"Don't worry about that now, rest. Focus on your recovery." He crooned, though it came out as a slight command.

Bo didn't argue, she just closed her eyes again and just before she lost consciousness, she thought about Lauren and felt a brief flash of peace. But then she felt a rush of panic as sleep gripped her.

Lauren stepped through the hospital sliding doors and exhaled a long sigh. She looked up at the sky. "Okay, Trick, Kenzi if you're there if you're helping me. I could really use a sign right about now." She threw her hands up in exasperation. "Anything!"

Closing her eyes, she fell silent and listened to the sounds around her for several minutes.

"Haven't you been paying any attention?"

Lauren's eyes snapped open, and she darted her eyes around her, but she couldn't find who had spoken. She doubled over and, at first, she thought she was going to throw up, but quickly the pain was gone. She sat on the curb and focused everything she had on Bo, and the day of her Dawning.

Her head was spinning, it felt mentally exhausted after everything. With her eyes closed, she frowned, focusing on bits and pieces of memories that seemed to materialize randomly.

Taking deliberately deep and relaxing breaths, she shut down her mind and let the memories surface.

" _The Temple can be vengeful. If Bo broke its rules, which we know is very likely, she might be trapped there."_

" _You have to get them out of there!"_ Lauren heard Kenzi demand. _"We need to find a loophole. That's BoBo's specialty. Defy the odds, break the rules."_

Kenzi's voice faded, and Lauren squeezed her eyes closed and, this time, she heard Trick's voice again.

" _The simplest explanation is that the Temple has created a pocket of reality and placed Dyson and Bo inside. They are being held there without knowing it, much like a dreamscape of sorts."_

This time, Lauren heard her own voice. _"If we can find a way to create a fissure within that reality, maybe we can breach that dimension and allow me…or one of us to enter that world and bring them back."_

" _Yeah, I saw that season of Fringe too, but what if you end up as FauxLo with like red hair and short bangs? Or worse, short hair and bangs. I don't think you have the facial features to pull off either of those looks…"_

Her own voice cut Kenzi off. _"Trick, can we do it?..."_

The memories began coming in and out in a rush, making less sense to her.

" _It's dangerous Lauren…your body will be in one existence, your mind in another…"_

" _What happens if she can't get back out?"_

Loud sirens shrieked passed Lauren as an ambulance pulled up to the hospital, jarring her out of her memories.

Lauren shoved herself upright. Lies, all lies. That's what the temple had been feeding her from the beginning. She had entered the Temple by choice to save Bo. If there was a way in, there had to be a way out. There had to be a portal from this world into hers, and they needed to find it now. Trusting nothing but her own instincts and inductive reasoning, she believed Grimley was where they needed to go. That somewhere in Bo's hometown was the crack between the two realities. 9t

Newly armed with more memories and a renewed sense of determination, she rushed back inside the hospital to get an update on Bo's condition. Not seeing Lachlan whose figure blended so well with the shadows. He stood silent, undetected, watching her with a broad grin on his face.

 **XXXXX**

 **AN**

 **More take charge, less passive Bo coming up.**

 **I have the best readers/reviewers ever, thanks so much for the support.**

 **Thanks again to the winning bidder for the prompt :)**


	6. Chapter 6

**AN**

 **This chapter is rated mature for language.**

XXXX

Morning dawned bright, and Bo woke up to the smell of frying sausage. As she stirred from sleep, her thoughts recalled the attack. She eased upright, and fumbled for her phone, yawning, barely awake. To her disappointment, the screen was blank. No missed calls.

An ominous feeling settled in her chest, and her mind raced with mild panic. She felt a nauseating twist in her stomach. She'd been trying to reach Lauren for the last two days but was unsuccessful. She rubbed the back of her neck, impatiently, and thought about what to do. Finally, she started dialing and redialing Lauren, getting the voicemail over and over again.

Bo got Lauren's voicemail for the fifth time. "Lauren, where are you?" She repeated her earlier question, again. Hanging up, she punched in the number for the station, but another officer informed her that Lauren wasn't there, and no one knew where she was. Her hand clenched the phone as she stared at it. Not knowing where Lauren was made her skin heat and her mouth dry out. Something else stirred inside her, something elusive she couldn't define. Trying to wrap her mind around what was happening made her reel.

As a cop, her instincts told her something was wrong. But as Lauren's ex-lover, she wondered if Lauren had just walked out of her life. Left her again. An ache squeezed her heart, and the sharp pain of her injuries began to throb. It was pointless to go down that road, that kind of thinking served no purpose. She couldn't let her past hurt cloud her thinking. She needed to put that aside, Lauren needed her. A fierce desire to protect Lauren and get answers seized control of her.

Not wanting to sit idly, Bo started reviewing some of the documents in her and Lauren's case. As she flipped through the files, she sighed deeply. Nothing on the surface suggested anything other than a routine murder investigation. She wondered what she was missing.

She pulled out a laptop and pulled up a search engine. She searched for any news articles about the creature that had attacked her. Nothing. Her mind kept tripping over facts and non -facts, trying to sort through what was and wasn't real. She scrubbed her hands over her face. If she believed Lauren, she was a so-called succubus, and Lauren was a doctor. She couldn't quite understand that, but clearly Lauren had some hidden talents, she saved her, after all.

"What's wrong?" Dyson asked, entering their bedroom, carrying a tray of food.

For the last few days, Dyson had been hovering protectively over her. Truthfully, it was beginning to annoy her and made her feel smothered. Normally, Dyson was a calming influence on Bo, but his support and guidance rubbed her the wrong way since the attack.

Dyson was suddenly in front of her, watching her. Her fingers froze over the keyboard of her computer. Dyson was waiting for an answer, and Bo hastily got one together. "I can't reach, Lauren." She blurted out, trying not to sound as nervous as she felt. She closed the laptop and sat it aside.

Dyson looked offended and frowned as he placed the tray beside her. "Oh." He shoved his hands into his pockets and rocked back on his heels. "Maybe she ran off again, wouldn't be the first time."

Inwardly Bo's insides seized. The mention of that immediately caused her skin to tingle with anger. She hated to think that might be true. But she couldn't afford to think that way, not when she thought Lauren needed her.

Dyson wore a serious expression, and his hands clenched firmly behind his back. "You don't need to worry about your flaky ex. You need to worry about yourself."

There was no denying the change in the air after his words. A noticeable weight settled between them.

She shot him a look but didn't say anything as she chewed on a sausage link, in silence. She tried not to look defensive, although that's what she felt. In some ways, Dyson was starting to feel like a virtual stranger, someone she barely knew. She rolled that over in her brain while chewing her breakfast.

Dyson made an apologetic face, and his head bobbed. "Your vitals are strong, and your tests all came back normal. But don't over-exert yourself."

Bo didn't say anything and rested her hand on her chest, which was still bandaged.

His eyes were earnest as they sought Bo's. "Have you taken your pain pills?" He probed, his attention on her injuries.

Bo scowled and tossed the unopened prescription bottle at him.

He caught it and then examined the bottle. "Why haven't you taken any?"

"I don't like pills," She responded curtly. "And the pain isn't really bad." Bo didn't want to go around dazed from pills, she needed a clear head, and she could handle a little pain.

Dyson looked at her oddly, and Bo couldn't read his reaction. "You suffered a major trauma. You need those pills." He said, not giving it up.

Bo gave a decisive shake of her head. "I'm fine." She shot back.

Dyson made a sound of frustration deep in his throat, but he let it drop.

There was a brief silence, and then he eased down onto the bed, taking her hand. "We're lucky Lauren stabilized you before she got you to the hospital."

Bo grinned reluctantly, shifting her gaze to his, and he tightened his grip on her. "Yeah, she saved my ass."

"You were nearly killed because of her." He declared, his voice carried a bitter undertone.

Bo felt Dyson's gaze on her, warm and yet challenging. She let go of his hand, briefly meeting his gaze, a frown creasing her brow. "What makes you say that?"

"She encouraged you to go. And I, if you remember, told you to stay. She is callous and unworthy of your trust."

She countered him by putting her hand up. "That's ridiculous. You are intentionally disregarding everything she did for me. This isn't a pissing contest between the two of you." A ripple of frustration glided through her voice. She sighed, and couldn't summon the energy to argue with him further.

He was twisting everything against Lauren, but not knowing the whole truth, she understood he couldn't see things as they truly were. Dyson wouldn't believe her about what happened. No rational person would. So, she kept the truth to herself simply because the truth was too fantastic. Not that she understood much herself. But she had seen the creature and heard Lauren's words.

Dyson placed a hand on Bo's shoulder. "I have to go into work for a few hours. But I'm afraid to leave you."

Bo leaned back away from his grasp and said. "No, go. I'll be alright."

Dyson hesitated but then Bo gave him a reassuring smile. After several more minutes of busying himself around the room, to make sure Bo had what she needed, Dyson kissed her and left.

After a quick shower, Bo stood in front of the long mirror in her black bra and underwear. Steam still filled the bathroom. She leaned closer to her reflection and touched the cuts and bruises on her body, thinking back to the attack. What she'd seen and what Lauren had said. A tired exhale escaped her lips. She felt like maybe she'd given up a long time ago, surrendered her life to other forces. And a growing part of her, questioned everything.

Her hazy reflection stared back at her. There was desperation in her eyes that scared her. Her eyes widened when she saw a flash of blue cross her eyes, shimmering through her restless gaze. A tight swirl of feelings mounted inside her. Goose bumps sprouted on her neck and arms, and her blood pressure rose.

She snapped her eyes closed and opened them, and only her brown eyes stared back. Her mind was playing tricks on her, or maybe it was the lighting in the bathroom. She clenched her jaw and sweat broke out across her face.

She was so ridiculously perplexed about almost everything. She wanted to scream and cry. But she wouldn't.

She wished that Lauren were there so she could tell her everything, help her understand. But with Lauren gone, she couldn't rely on her strength or words. Bo needed to stand on her own feet and take hold of her life.

Whatever was going on, she knew something wasn't right. Her mind kicked into high gear, if she couldn't face her demons, both inside and outside her, now, she would never be able to.

She would find Lauren. She wasn't going to even entertain any other thoughts about it.

XXXX

With her body still sore, Bo ended up heading towards Lauren's apartment because sitting around and thinking was only making her worry more. She could take care of herself. She always had. She would show Dyson she was strong and capable. She would prove that to everyone. She needed to get a grip of herself and the situation. In truth, Bo had spent a lot of her life running from things, and she was tired of it. True, being attacked by some unknown beast had changed her perspective. And priorities, but it was more than that.

As she walked over the damp sidewalk, the streetlights along the street hummed, flickering intermittently, highlighting a strange fog that clung to the air. Above her blue and black clouds, churned in a slow motion, still present from an earlier storm. The street was quiet, creepy and deserted. The flat heels of her knee-high black boots were loud on the pavement, the sounds marking the determined rhythm of her steps.

Bo strode along the dimly lit street, with each step, a faint noise around her increased. She thought she could hear crickets chirping in the distance. The eerie atmosphere caused her to pull her jacket close to her body.

Heading down another street, Bo glanced briefly up at a murder of crows, before they swooped down and landed in front of her. Strange. With a confused frown, she stepped around them. Her hand flexed on her weapon held on her hip as she walked.

Needing something to do, she tried Lauren's cell again, and again it went straight to voicemail. She exhaled in frustration and hung up without leaving a message.

At Lauren's apartment door, Bo debated with herself for about a second before rapping her knuckles against the door. She shoved her hands in her pockets and waited in silence, hoping that Lauren would answer. She didn't. She tried the doorknob, but it was locked. She circled her hands around her eyes and attempted to peer through the peephole. No movement inside as far as she could see.

She knocked again while squinting through the glass. Nothing stirred inside. The apartment was very, very empty.

Her instincts were signaling danger, but she tried to think around it. With a dark, heavy feeling collecting in her stomach, Bo breathed slowly. She considered her options: get the super to unlock the door, or break it down herself. If she really was a supernatural creature, a succubus, she supposed she had the strength inside her to break the door down.

She opted for the fastest approach. Losing patience, and trusting Lauren's words, she gathered herself. She was pretty sure it wasn't going to work, but she held her breath and attempted to kick the door in.

Her foot bounced off the door, and a ripple of pain shot through her leg, but the door didn't move. With a chuckle at herself and a sidelong glance around her, she tried again, and again. The door cracked a bit, she flexed her fists and let her strength course through her body, and hit it again as hard as she could.

When the door crashed open, she stopped, and her eyes widened in surprise. She couldn't believe she had actually done it.

She pushed through the broken door and scanned the apartment. No signs of a struggle and no signs of Lauren.

Already disheartened, she walked up the stairs, her footsteps clicked through the silence as she climbed each step.

She paused at the threshold of her bedroom. Lauren's soft scent lingered in the air, but it was empty. She did a mental shake to regain her focus. She knew what she had to do. Investigate. Gather information. Find Lauren.

Her gaze examined the clean, organized room. Everywhere she looked, she saw Lauren and a small slice of their past together. On the top of Lauren's dresser, she saw a stack of various books. She found an empty travel bag in her closet and crossed the room to a pile of ironed clothes. They were recently washed. She lifted a shirt off the pile and held it up a moment. She brought it to her nose and inhaled deeply. Coming to her senses, she reined in the feelings that stirred inside her, shutting them down, reminding herself of her task.

She moved to the window at the back and checked the street in both directions. Everything was silent around her but the sound of traffic below. Her eyes tracked the few people going about their lives below, unaware of the monsters that lurked around them. Maybe she was one of those monsters. What did it mean to be a succubus anyway? Lauren hadn't explained the details.

And now she was gone.

Bo sighed in defeat and went to leave but stopped when she saw a picture beside Lauren's bed. She circled the bed and picked it up. It was a picture of the two of them and Bo's stomach sank. Fear about Lauren's safety stole her strength making her body weak. She gritted her teeth and fought against the fear. Her finger traced the image as she tried to plan her next move.

Shaking off her uneasy emotions, she dropped the picture on the bed and marched confidently out of the room.

The whole situation was so hard to understand, but she needed to deal with it, or it would fester inside her for the rest of her life. But how could she accept that her life was just a lie, smoke, and mirrors used to disguise the truth. For a while now, she had sensed something was wrong, but she'd been too stubborn to admit it. She knew Lauren believed everything she'd said, and there was definitely evidence to back up her story. So why did a part of her resist accepting it even now?

Lauren believed in her, and she could control her feelings long enough to discover what had happened to her. She couldn't deny that other part of her where something inside her said Lauren was right. And maybe she'd have a real chance to tell her how sorry she was for doubting her. Regret over the way she'd behaved with Lauren pricked her.

Her life had been turned upside down and inside out, and she felt hollow and confused. What she had believed as the truth were lies, and she wasn't going to stop until she got real answers. But her first priority was finding Lauren. With a parting glance around Lauren's apartment, Bo made a plan for what to do next.

XXXXX

Bo got the security footage from Lauren's apartment building so she could see if Lauren had returned to her apartment the night Bo was attacked.

Bo sat at her desk, and her hands moved swiftly over the keyboard. The security camera's focused on the door, with only a partial view of the street. At least, she would be able to see if Lauren ever came home.

Bo focused her attention on the screen. After running through the footage for twenty minutes, she'd still not seen Lauren. She expanded her timeframe and kept looking. With her eyes on the computer, her fingers rubbed her injuries, where a steady pain had begun to ache.

She paused when a figure flicked into view and replayed it. It wasn't Lauren. In the corner of the screen, someone with dark hair and clothing walked toward the building. The way he moved set off all of Bo's alarm bells. She frowned at the screen and studied the image for a long moment. Something about this figure piqued her interest.

The figure in black reappeared ten minutes later, moving faster with a clear view of his face. Bo slowed down the frames. The man cast a furtive look over his shoulder before slipping out of view.

She tried to zoom in and enhance the image. She made copies of his face, and then went to Trick's office.

"You're looking much better." Trick came out from behind his desk and approached Bo. "How are you feeling?" He asked with a look of concern.

"I'm great." She handed Trick a copy of the photo. "I think Lauren's in trouble. This creep was lurking outside her apartment."

Trick dropped his eyes to the photo and studied it a moment. "This is circumstantial at best," He said, handing it back to her.

He had a surprisingly dismissive attitude, considering one of his officers was missing. Lauren. It felt like a personal attack. Her body went tight, and she had an almost overpowering desire to shout at him, but she knew it wouldn't do any good. She met his gaze directly and said. "She's missing, and might be in danger. Her apartment's empty."

He rapped his fingers on the desk and peered up at her. "I'll send someone to keep an eye on her place. But you go home and rest. Let that man of yours take care of you. He's a good person, listen to him." He smiled, but it didn't touch his eyes. "And that's an order."

Deeply insulted, Bo exhaled slowly. Without arguing or looking over her shoulder, Bo walked out, slamming the door hard behind her.

XXXXX

Quickly into her journey home, Bo realized someone was following her. At first, she ignored it, thinking it was her imagination getting the better of her, but as the footsteps got louder and more determined behind her, she abandoned her plans of going back to Lauren's and started down a different street. She wanted to trap this stalker and confront them.

Whoever was following her didn't give up. The faint click of a gun being cocked stopped her stride. She closed her eyes for a second and gathered herself.

Shifting directions she veered off into an alley as she pulled out her weapon. With a deep breath, she turned to look at her pursuer.

Instantly, she saw the gun, aimed directly at her. The finger landed over the trigger ready to shoot. The person holding the gun was steady and clearly trained to adjust to any movement. She knew the person knew what they were doing. If shots rang out, they wouldn't miss.

Her body stiffened, as she locked her eyes with the barrel of the gun pointed at her, but made no moves. Her eyes darted beyond the weapon, but the assailants face was covered in a hood.

"You don't want to do this, I'm a cop," Bo spoke, putting as much hardness in her voice as she could without prompting a reaction from the person.

The silence around her filled Bo's ears, intensifying the tense situation.

From behind her, a low, familiar snarl sent a shudder down her spine, and icy fingers clutched her heart. She gripped her gun, so tightly with both hands that her knuckles turned pale. One breath. Two. Then several. Screwing her eyes shut she prepared to face the beast.

Shots thundered through the air, and time seemed to stop. All Bo could hear were the loud gulps of air coming from her and the slapping sound of a body hitting the ground.

An ear-splitting growl erupted from behind her. She cracked an eye open and clambered back. She lowered her head down to where the monster laid. Her stomach rolled in response to the pool of blood and guts steadily spreading across the street from underneath the gruesome beast. Cold stillness shrouded the alley, and nothing seemed to be happening as Bo gaped at the creature. The same creature that attacked her before, or another one, she couldn't be sure.

She stood unmoving. Everything suddenly felt like nothing but a living nightmare.

The click of footsteps behind her filled the silence. She was so surprised by the events, she'd forgotten about the shooter. She snapped out of her trance, her eyes widened, and she gripped her weapon. She swallowed her heart and steeled her body.

Turning slowly, a figure stood opposite her on the other side of the alley. The shooter stepped out of the shadows and pulled off the hood.

A gasp filled the air, and Bo's heart constricted tightly. Her eyes grew wider by the second. Her chest deflated on a stunned exhale. Lauren.

Never had Bo been so conscious of making eye contact with another person. Lost in Lauren's eyes, Bo forgot about everything and the monster seemed not to exist anymore. She made no movements and didn't look away.

"Hi, Bo." Lauren greeted her, her voice smooth and low, her eyes expressive. She looked past Bo at the creature behind her.

Bo's eyes flickered to the direction Lauren glanced and then back again. She was so incredibly stunned. She could hardly think straight. She practically vibrated with confusion.

Now Bo was back in reality, fury blazed through her and slowly was nothing but a wall of white noise in Bo's ears. Her gaze never left Lauren as she took steps toward her. When she could finally speak, it came out loud. "Fuck, Lauren, you could have contacted me," She said, her voice grew louder as she slid her weapon back in place. "I was worried sick."

With one quick motion, Lauren holstered her weapon. "We have to leave. It's not safe." She glanced nervously behind her, and then back to Bo. "I'll explain everything, but we need to get somewhere safe."

With a set jaw, Bo stepped closer, but this time, Lauren backed off a step. "See, this is what you do! Time after time, disappear, not telling me things." She tilted her head and studied Lauren critically. "Dammit, I can't believe I was starting to trust and care about you again."

From underneath the extreme anger, Bo's hurt revealed itself. But that was just one of the emotions churning inside her, it ate away at all her restraint giving free rein to her need to unleash her anger at Lauren. At that moment, no part of her was willing to give Lauren the benefit of the doubt, she simply couldn't see past her fury. With Lauren, sometimes, Bo lost the ability to think clearly. Her pride certainly had some vicious consequences. It was unfair to pour her frustration on Lauren, but at that moment, she couldn't pull herself back from spewing forth those words.

They were both breathing raggedly as if they had been arguing for a long time.

Lauren retreated a step when Bo advanced one. Bo swallowed several times, looking as though she was struggling to control herself.

Taking a deep breath, Lauren stepped backward, just as she moved so did Bo. She paused and frowned at Bo. Her mouth opened and then closed. Backing away, she said, "I'm sorry about disappearing, but I didn't have a choice."

With Lauren's eyes on her, doubt briefly settled in her mind. What reason did Lauren have to lie to her about that? But it felt like Lauren was slipping back into old patterns. Her anger sparked back into life, and she directed it squarely at Lauren. "Yeah right, Lauren. You never seem to have a choice, it's very convenient."

The hurt and anger in Bo's face and voice was palpable, and she knew Bo was jumping to conclusions about her again, basing everything on her feelings rather than fact. It pained her to know the cold hard truth that Bo could so readily assume the worst about her. Lauren wished she could make all this easier for her. But none of it was easy. Bo couldn't understand what happened to her, not until she explained about the two realities. She needed Bo to give her time to explain.

Lauren shunned her hurt, unwilling to allow it to control her. Lauren's gaze lost all its warmth, she tipped her shoulders back and said. "I could not contact you. That's the truth." She cringed at the way Bo's eyes burned into her with disbelief. If she could keep Bo calm, she could explain the situation clearly, and Bo would understand. She had to hold on to the faith she had in Bo and needed to remember all the lies this world had told Bo about her. "Look something happened to me. We need to find a safe place and then I can explain everything." She said, her voice soft and pleading.

Bo wrestled within herself. She didn't know what to believe. She cast her eyes around the alley, searching for answers and battling her confusion and doubt. After everything, it was only natural for her to feel apprehensive about trusting Lauren.

Bo was devastated that after everything Lauren could disappear, again. She couldn't think straight enough to even attempt to listen to Lauren's explanation.

Moving forward into Lauren's personal space, Bo closed the distance between them, Lauren's back almost pressed into the alley wall. They stood silent, toe-to-toe, sharing heavy breaths. Neither averted their gazes as they stared with matching intensity. The tension was building and cracking between them.

Lauren tried not to be fazed by their nearness, but Bo was so close Lauren could smell the leather from her jacket. Just for a second, that scent carried her back to her world, to her Bo. Bo was different, in this world, but she smelled exactly the same. She took a small comfort in that and wrapped it protectively around herself.

Bo stood in front of her, a battle waging inside of her. She glared at Lauren for a full minute and then slowly leaned closer. "Is this what you want? Me, crazed with worry about you?" Bo's lips hovered over Lauren's lips as she spoke. Her fingers rose to clutch Lauren's hips. Lauren's breath warmed Bo's face, and then she rocked forward, shoving Lauren back.

A gasp escaped Lauren when her body hit the wall, and her hands automatically landed on Bo's shoulders, grappling for support. As Bo stared at her, Lauren's mouth parted slightly, and her eyebrows rose in surprise.

Face to face, their chests rose and fell heavily as the silence descended between them. Bo's words and their meaning lingered in the air. Time ticked by as they stared each other down.

Lauren looked at Bo with sad eyes, and her heartbeat picked up a bit. Bo was riling her, accusing her of things she hadn't done. What sort of low opinion did Bo have of her to consider that she was capable of such spiteful intent? "I never wanted any of this," She whispered, breaking the thick silence between them. Her voice was throaty, her breathing labored.

Incensed beyond reason, Bo pressed Lauren further against the wall. "How can I ever trust you when you keep doing this over and over again?"

That hit Lauren hard, in an unguarded place. Disappointment lurched through her, spreading fire into her chest. She flattened herself against the wall, and her stomach warmed when Bo's breath washed over her mouth. "You can trust me. I'm telling you the truth, but it's a long story. I'm running out of time, and whether you believe me or not, all this has been for you." Her voice trembled uneasily, quivering with her beating heart.

Bo's eyes roamed slowly over her face, before they settled briefly on her lips, searing it and then continued back to her eyes. "You don't need to protect me. I can protect myself." She tried to believe Lauren didn't choose to vanish on purpose, but she wasn't sure she could, not entirely.

Lauren looked her over. Her injuries were still visible but healing. Her fingertips grazed the side of Bo's cheek. "I need you, Bo. I. Need. You. Our fates are linked, in this world, in our world." She stated softly, looking directly into Bo's dark eyes.

At first, Lauren's words didn't fully register in Bo's worked up mind. She opened her mouth to ask what she meant by 'our world', but Lauren spoke again.

"I don't want to be alone in this anymore. I love you so much it sometimes makes me do stupid things…but I am just trying to help you. This world isn't real, but my feelings for you are. That is real." Lauren said, her voice shaking the briefest amount. Her eyes filled with need for Bo to accept what she was saying as truth.

Lauren looked so earnest, so strikingly determined and affectionate that Bo knew she wasn't making shallow declarations. Regardless of the confusing situation and the hurt she felt, she searched her heart, wanting with everything to believe Lauren. One thing she needed to remember was to rely on her instincts, and right then, it screamed at her to trust Lauren. The realization of that warmed her heart and cleared her head.

Bo's look turned thoughtful as she fixed her eyes on Lauren, intent, and searching. Her anger abating, as her eyes and body softened.

Bo knew what was coming next, and she welcomed it, craved it. Her heart thundered with nervous excitement as she moved.

At the same time, both their eyes drifted lower landing on each other's lips. There was no stopping them.

Bo pinned Lauren's body, holding her hard and tight. Lauren didn't struggle as her body pressed into the hard wall. Slowly, their lips parted, anticipation crashing through them.

Bo's mind cleared, her eyes half closed as she absorbed the sensation of Lauren's body heating her body. Everything she had been saying or thinking about before that moment was gone. It didn't matter anymore, she felt lighter as if a burden was lifted off her.

Lauren audibly swallowed, her palms gripped Bo's leather jacket. Seconds drifted by, the distant sounds of the city going unnoticed by them. They needed to get moving, but the intense need overruled that. They couldn't have torn their focus away even if the creature behind them rose to its feet.

Done with the torment of waiting, Bo grabbed Lauren's chin in her hand and kissed her with gentle force on the mouth. Really, really kissed her, deep, forceful and full out. She groaned as her tongue pushed past her lips, Lauren's taste filling her.

Lauren closed her eyes and responded immediately, passion igniting within her. She craned her neck to reach Bo, to kiss her harder. Bo's mouth was warm, and rough against her, dizziness came over her from the suddenness of the moment. Her entire focus was solely on Bo and the exquisite sensations running through her.

Their lips met with desperate intensity and ferocity. They could barely keep up with the rough motion of each other's lips against the other. Lauren clutched Bo's shoulders, drawing the leather of her jacket into her fists, and a moan bubbled up in her throat. It came out harsh, full of desire, eager. At the same time, Bo arched her back, sliding her hands down the sides of Lauren's body, pressing closer to her.

They kissed like they were starving, like addicts looking for another hit, like it was life or death to keep their lips together. It was exhilarating and almost obsessively passionate, and neither even considered stopping. The heat of the moment made them lose all thoughts and awareness of their surroundings.

Bo's grip on Lauren's hips tightened, pulling her body into Lauren's. As her tongue glided over Lauren's, heat ran down her spine.

Their shared passion drove them deeper. Bo could feel Lauren tremble under her hold, silently begging her for more. Bo's hands caged Lauren, pinning her harder against the wall, trapping her. Bo's body covered hers, pressed so tightly into her that there was no space between them anywhere.

Tightly, Lauren clenched the sides of Bo's face as she kissed her. Their lips moved against each other hard, tongues delving roughly together. The weeks of pent-up frustration was colliding into this one moment, awakening a storm of emotions inside both.

It was more than a kiss. It was Bo's way of telling Lauren without words that the past didn't matter, that she believed her, that Lauren wasn't alone, that she needed her also. She poured all her emotions into that moment, hoping it would somehow convey everything she was feeling.

Bo's mind was thick with the memories of past desires and she didn't want to think of a reason to pull away. With her lips and tongue on Lauren, her world shifted right side up again, and all the difficulties she had were stripped away. With Lauren, she was exactly where she was supposed to be. No matter how insistent the tiny bits of doubt in the back of her mind were, nothing could convince her that this was wrong. It was right.

 **XXXX**

 **AN**

 **Only Lauren knows the truth.**

 **Next up: Bo and Lauren go somewhere safe to "talk". Answers about Lauren's disappearance coming up.**

 **Thanks for reading and reviewing.**


	7. Chapter 7

_48 hours earlier._

 _It only took one breath. One moment Lauren was standing outside the hospital and the next she was gone-blanketed by complete darkness._

 _She was dead._

 _No. She only felt that way. Grasping for breath, her lungs burned and a tight squeezing sensation filled her body. On the verge of passing out, a deafening blast broke the silence, and the world burst back into an explosion of color._

 _Flashes of images fired rapidly at her, as she continued to struggle for air. She fought to focus, and faltered seeking something to cling to, but found the space empty. She wondered if she was hallucinating, if she'd finally cracked under all the pressure._

" _What is happening?" Lauren gasped, her voice shaky. She focused on reducing her rapid panting as her head pounded. It was the most disturbing feeling she'd ever experienced._

" _Calm yourself. Take deep, full breaths. The sensation will pass if you don't fight it," a deep voice whispered in her ear, and she followed his instructions._

 _Closing her eyes, she tried to block out everything and focus on steadying herself. Slowly, the lightheadedness faded, taking the nauseous feeling with it._

 _Looking down at her body, she strained to stand upright. "Who are you and why have you brought me here?" She demanded, her tone thick with exasperation._

" _I felt it was important to remove you from your current path and bring you here. For a chat."_

" _And where exactly is here?" Lauren asked, gesturing to her surroundings._

" _Nowhere."_

" _I suppose you're the Caretaker," Lauren said, trying to keep her voice level. "I thought I already told you no."_

" _Yes." He stepped into the light, revealing himself in the form of an older man. "My job is to observe the Temple, to keep an ever watchful eye on events," He said, half his body cast in darkness, making him appear even more intimidating._

" _What do you want?" Lauren asked. Her options seemed limited, at that moment, she decided to glean information to use against the Temple._

" _You're hardly in a position to demand answers, Dr. Lewis." His expressionless eyes focused on her._

" _You're the one who wanted to chat." She shot back, glancing around her but finding no clues as to where she was._

" _From what I've witnessed, you have proven to be much more impetuous than I expected. Your presence here has changed the rules, accelerated the timetable, and I can't ignore that any longer."_

 _Lauren raised her eyebrows with a smirk and channeled Bo. "Let us go, and I'll no longer be a bother."_

" _Bo derailed the natural order of the Temple. I'm here to offer you your last and final deal." He said with a condescending tone and a patronizing smile._

 _The mention of another deal caused Lauren's skin to prickle with rage. "I'm not making any deals." She stepped back. She didn't want to hear any nonsense from the Caretaker._

" _That's where you're wrong. You will if you want to save Bo. We both know there are plenty of ways to make Bo suffer in this place."_

 _Lauren squeezed her eyes shut and tried to unpack her muddled thoughts. Staving off a rush of dizziness, she stood tall and shook her head. "Your threats aren't going to stop me." Lauren's voice echoed through the empty space._

 _His mouth lifted into a grin. "Save your breath. The Temple must have its revenge, but I'm sure we can work out some kind of arrangement. What's Bo's life worth to you?"_

" _I'm not making any deals." Lauren's mouth pinched in determination and her emotions rolled into a boil of anxiety. "There is another way out. I know it." She said, a glint of doubt crept in, mixing with her other emotions._

" _There isn't, Lauren. How do you imagine all three of you will survive? Don't you understand there is no magical solution to save all your souls? This isn't a fairy tale, without sacrifice there is no way out. A price needs to be paid. Bo can't cheat her way out of this."_

" _I don't believe you."_

" _The temple must have its revenge either by Bo staying here forever or suffering in your world. Bo will have to make a choice, leave behind someone she loves or be trapped forever."_

 _Lauren stared at him, her anger and hatred pinching her eyes. "Bo doesn't like to be forced into anything, especially something she would never choose for herself."_

" _If you care anything about Bo's life, make it as easy as possible when she has to make her choice." He crossed his arms looking bored. "The fact remains that you are only human. You're not like Dyson and Bo. The sooner you accept that, the better. Your life is meaningless in the grand scheme of things. But Bo will have thousands of years to help endless amounts of people. And Dyson is fiercely loyal to Bo. It solves everyone's problem. Bo's free, and we get our vengeance by taking something precious from her."_

 _Her anger burned, hot and fierce. "No." This made no sense. There was something she was missing, but she couldn't place it._

" _I expected erratic, irrational behavior from the succubus, but not you. Fear clouds your rational thoughts. You'll only make all this harder on Bo by fighting us."_

 _Thoughts raced through her mind, and she could feel panic mounting. "Why not free Bo and just keep me here? Why make her choose?"_

 _He ignored her question. "This is your last chance. Bo has 72 hours to finish her Dawning and make her choice. It's the only way. And just so you know, that I'm serious, I'm going to send my pets after her, and it will rip her flesh bit by bit, but she won't die. No, she'll suffer for eternity."_

" _Your words mean nothing to me." She was bluffing, she looked into his eyes, fairly certain he was telling the truth. But she did think he was withholding vital information._

" _Would you give your life to save Bo?"_

" _Yes," Lauren answered without hesitation._

 _Within a blink, the world shifted again, and Lauren stood in front of the hospital. She sat on a bench, trying to make sense of what had happened. Her mind still tumbled in confusion and anxiety, and she weighed her options. Best-case scenario the keeper was lying, and there was another way out. Worst-case scenario, he wasn't, and Bo would have to make a choice. Lauren wasn't feeling very confident about the former, a piece of her heart wilted in despair. Lauren thrived on being prepared, but there was no way to be prepared in this situation._

 _She checked the time and stiffened, fear constricted her chest, making it hard to breathe. She had been gone two days. It had only felt like minutes. Something wasn't right. Something was off. Was she starting to lose her grip on reality?_

 _The thoughts of Bo nearly suffocated her with worry until the sound of a car approaching the hospital interrupted her thoughts._

 _A woman past her, mumbling to herself. "The walls are crumbling. The link is breaking. You are dying."_

 _Lauren stood and jogged to the woman. She placed a hand on her shoulder to stop her. "What did you say?"_

 _She pointed a finger at Lauren's chest. "Tick-tock, tick-tock. It's ticking for you."_

 _Lauren searched her eyes. "The link is breaking? Tell me what to do?"_

 _The woman brought her hands together in a slow, methodical clap, echoing into the night air. "You're failing fast, and you won't last much longer…" The woman's voice broke, and she composed herself, blinking quickly. "I'm late." She declared, before marching into the hospital._

 _Lauren's heart hardened, and she pulled herself together, determination replaced her anguish. Eager to get to Bo, she walked away. She was ready for the whole thing to be over with, one way or another._

XXXXX

They didn't speak. They didn't need to. They would communicate a different way.

The door to the hotel room slammed shut, and it took only a few strides before Bo stood in front of Lauren. Bo looked directly into Lauren's eyes with calm confidence as she reached for Lauren and in one swift movement lurched her forward into her body.

Too overwhelmed to think, Lauren's heart raced fast instead. Bo's smoky brown eyes pinned hers, lust lit up her face. Her right arm captured Lauren's back, and her other hand cupped the back of Lauren's head, turned it and captured her lips.

With their lips and bodies pressed together, a long-dormant fire combusted to life again. Lauren was an assault on Bo's senses, and she was lost in how good it felt to be back in Lauren's arms, she longed for it, like a constant thirst needing to be appeased.

The roughness of Bo's kiss shocked Lauren's system, but she welcomed her by opening her mouth so Bo could push her tongue inside. Any self-restraint Bo had slipped away as she immersed herself in Lauren, deeper and deeper, taking all she could get.

With one hand splayed across her back, Bo reached into Lauren's hair, taking command, Bo tangled her fingers around her locks and held Lauren in place. She needed to have Lauren, desperately wanted her. It was hard to think with Lauren's tongue sliding warm, soft but forceful against hers, but really she didn't want to think.

The haze of arousal fogging her mind, Lauren's hands fisted the edge of Bo's jacket, pulling her to her. Mouths still connected, Lauren yanked it down her arms. Smiling into Lauren's mouth, Bo shrugged it off and dropped it to the floor.

Holding a firm grip on Lauren, Bo's mouth ravaged her, as she walked them backward, through the room to the bed.

With a loud exhale, Bo tugged her lips away and trailed kisses down the delicate, smooth skin of Lauren's throat. She licked and sucked her earlobe, curled her tongue around it, sending a quiver down Lauren's body, setting her insides aflame.

Fevered and desperate for more, Bo's hands ripped the shirt from Lauren's body, not caring that she was destroying it. She tossed it beside them, tearing a moan from Lauren.

Bo's hands grazed the sides of Lauren's rib cage and Lauren upstretched her arms as Bo undid her bra. With a flick of her wrist, she threw it away. She glided her fingertips over the smooth skin of Lauren's back as her lips found Lauren's again, rough and frenzied.

When Bo pulled back to look at her face, she was breathing hard, and her lower half simmered. A flame sparked in her eyes as she raked them over Lauren, settling on her lips before she brought them back to meet her eyes. Her hungry gaze devoured Lauren, silently expressing everything they were both feeling inside.

Lauren's breathing picked up, lost and waiting, needy for more. "We should really talk," She whispered, trying to slow down her breathing. "We should…"

"Yeah?" Bo's voice was quiet, and she furrowed her brows. "I don't want to talk." Her voice thick with desire as she studied Lauren's face. "Can't we just have one moment? A moment about us and nothing else?" Her mind was consumed with thoughts of love and intense lust, and she didn't want to worry about stopping. Not now.

Bo didn't wait for a reply. Her gaze dropped to Lauren's mouth, and she inched toward her slowly. The hand on her back lifted, and she grabbed Lauren's hair, tugging her head back. And then, Lauren was being kissed with so much force it blinded her. Words entirely left her, she completely forgot about stopping, only the undeniable pull to Bo remained. It was rough, driving Lauren to give up any resistance, to enjoy the moment and the passion burning between them.

Bo groaned into her mouth, holding her tighter, claiming her mouth with wild abandon. Clearly, showing her desperation.

Lauren clung to Bo's neck to steady herself, afraid to let go, afraid she couldn't stand. Overwhelmed with Bo's intensity the heat building in her stomach raged, making her dizzy.

Bo's hands roamed her body, one hand pressed against the small of Lauren's back, pulling her hard against her.

Bo released her, and in one movement, Bo fell to her knees, with her lips instantly on Lauren's stomach, her hands slid up until she found the curve of Lauren's firm backside. Lauren's every nerve taut in expectation, her body revving up with every brush of Bo's lips.

Lauren moaned at Bo's touch, encouraging her. Lips to Lauren's stomach, Bo peeked her tongue out, trailing down the salty skin, smelling her, tasting her, down to her belly button. She swirled her tongue around it, a few times, in slow movements.

No words were necessary as their desire for each other built with every heartbeat. Enjoying Bo's teasing, Lauren nipped her lower lip, her head fell back, and her body trembled.

Bo's mouth hovered hot and breathy on Lauren's stomach as she yanked down the zipper on Lauren's jeans, and tugged them off.

Quietly moaning, Lauren dug her fingers into her hair, and Bo pulled her underwear down. She was rough as she pulled them off, and cast them aside quickly. Bo's actions were so full of lust, Lauren was dismantled to pieces, waiting.

The cold air hit Lauren's skin, and all her hairs stood on end. With her body exposed to her, Bo looked up the length of Lauren's taut, naked body and her breathing accelerated, a flood of desire warming her blood.

She ran her tongue up her inner thigh and across the front of her center. The tip of her tongue dipped in, just a little. Just enough for Lauren to shudder at the first caress of her tongue, she sucked her stomach in and tensed.

Within a split second, Bo stood, heat pulsed her belly. She raked her sharp eyes over Lauren, narrowing them on her breasts. Her body throbbed, a blue flash in her eyes brightening. She was surprised how she had forgotten how delicious Lauren looked, naked and exposed. She ached to touch her or run her tongue all over her.

Bo moved her leg up between Lauren's knees, coaxing them open. Lauren shifted lower and rubbed herself along the length of Bo's thigh, seeking friction to satisfy her growing need. She gripped Bo's shoulders, her pulse quickened wildly, already soaked in desire, her body begged for Bo's touch.

Bo encircled her arms around Lauren. She angled her head, her mouth nearing Lauren's. Her warm lips brushed over Lauren's, teasing her into responding. Lauren eagerly accepted her kiss. Barely breathing, Bo let her explore her mouth with her tongue.

Lauren's hands caught the hem of Bo's shirt and pulled it up, breaking their kiss for only as long as it took to get it off over her head. She dropped it to the floor, and Bo pulled her back into her arms, her lips landing on Lauren's again.

Bo couldn't take it anymore, couldn't wait anymore. She caught Lauren's shoulders, backed her up until her legs hit the edge of the bed. Bo kissed her deep, rough, her mouth hard against hers.

Bo twisted them and pushed all of her weight against Lauren's shoulders. Lauren fell backward, hitting the bed, taking Bo with her.

Bo landed on her body, and Lauren rolled instantly, trapping Bo underneath her, all the while she kept their lips together, hot and needing. Dizzy with exhilaration, Lauren's tongue slid into Bo's mouth. She swept her tongue over Bo's lower lip, igniting flames that danced over Bo's skin and down her spine.

Always wanting to get Lauren off first, Bo rolled them over, so she was on top, settling her weight on Lauren. Bo stared at her, beautiful and wild, her eyes hooded with passion.

Lauren knifed up, undid Bo's bra and pulled it away. She wanted to see and feel her body. Tenderly but with purpose, she ghosted her fingers over Bo's skin until her thumbs slowly stroked the curve of Bo's bare breast.

When Bo got too turned on and couldn't take it anymore, she arched her back and nipped Lauren's shoulder before pushing her back against the mattress.

The moment Lauren laid back, Bo moved over her to straddle Lauren's hips. She came to a stop above Lauren, her dark gaze burning into Lauren's. The look said everything. She wanted Lauren, and she could have her. Through her slow blinks, a hint of blue shone in her eyes.

Bo's eyes fluttered closed, she lowered, eager to get rid of the fabric between them and have skin-to-skin contact with her. She made fast work of her remaining clothes, stripping them off. With her toes, she yanked them off her body.

Lauren breathed hard, fighting to calm herself enough to speak. "Do you feel something?" She asked, her voice a ragged mess. She had seen Bo's blue eyes and wondered if Bo's succubus side was coming through.

Lauren could feel the emotions filtering through Bo's eyes. Lust. Passion. Need. All of which matched her own.

A smile spread across Bo's mouth, keen and bright. "Hungry," She answered another bright flash of blue. Pressure rose, and heat swelled in Bo, and she ran her tongue along Lauren's jaw. Bo's eyes sparkled as her hand found Lauren's bare breast, she palmed it, thumbing her hard nipples.

Her warm lips trailed an invisible map starting at Lauren's neck and moved downward. Her tongue teased her nipples, and then closed her lips around it and sucked in hard. Lauren's back arched and Bo drew her nipple in harder. Lauren bucked underneath her as her fingers dragged down the skin over Bo's spine. The surging anticipation was so great. Lauren was beyond words or any rational thoughts.

Locking her gaze on Lauren, Bo pressed her palms against the mattress. She bent forward, Lauren's hard nipples pressed into her skin. She captured Lauren's lips with hers, slid two fingers inside and teased Lauren's raw flesh. Lauren reacted instantaneously, working her body against Bo's fingers, feeling herself growing wetter with each stroke.

Bo withdrew her fingers out of Lauren, leaving Lauren hot and wet in their wake. A protest was on Lauren's lips, but Bo lifted her hand, dragging her fingers across Lauren's mouth. Lauren parted her lips and released a breath as Bo slipped them in. She gripped Bo's wrist and stared at Bo with half-closed eyes as she sucked and licked Bo's fingers, her teeth lightly nipping her flesh.

Bo eased her fingers out of Lauren's mouth, and a sexy gasp escaped Lauren that caused tension to swamp her, pooling in Bo's gut, lingering there.

Lauren relaxed into the bed, the ache between her legs grew. Passion and need spiked inside Lauren, driving her to surrender to them, to give herself over to the yearning and the moment. She yielded and let Bo lead the way. Desire directed her, and it led Bo too.

Sensing what Lauren wanted, Bo placed her hands on Lauren's knees. "Spread your legs, Lauren," Bo whispered, her voice full of carnal lust.

Lauren parted her thighs and slowly revealed herself to Bo's piercing eyes. Her eyes widened, and blue flared around her enlarged pupils.

Quickly, Bo shifted Lauren's legs over her shoulders, and Lauren shivered with anticipation, eager to feel Bo's tongue on her. So turned on, she couldn't wait.

Bo's fingers parted her, exposing her clitoris. With the tip of her tongue, she stroked it, teased it. Her warm breath brushed Lauren, and she licked the length of her, from her slick opening to her tip. She felt her stomach tighten when the taste of Lauren hit her mouth. It had been so long since she'd touched her, tasted her.

After a moment, Bo wrapped her lips around her clit and sucked slowly. Lauren screwed her face up, trembling all over, struggling to catch her breath as Bo licked and sucked her. The breathy moans from Bo added to the ecstasy carrying her away.

The pleasurable burning inside pulled a gasp from Lauren, she arched upward, begging for more. Her hands clenched the bed sheets, squeezed her eyes shut, her heart beating quickly.

Lauren dug her heels in Bo's back as she gently rolled herself up, offering Bo more, seeking her mouth, encouraging her to take everything she had.

Bo's tongue delved deeply, tasted her so eagerly that Lauren's insides constricted and pulsed from her ferocity. Lauren moved against her face, unable to keep still. With each plunge of her tongue, Lauren gasped out a breath.

She licked upwards again and drew her lips around her clit. Lauren tipped her head back and breathed hard, and gripped her hands on the headboard to steady herself. Lauren's body flushed and grew hot under Bo's attack. Her tongue skillfully made the scorching desire in Lauren's stomach unfurl, unraveling her by the second.

Bo's fingers curved around Lauren's backside as she moved her tongue with care coupled with wildness, moving slowly and then quick, taking her time to taste and feel her. With her mouth on Lauren, she stroked her as though she couldn't get enough.

Gently, Bo moved a finger into Lauren's body. She pushed deeper inside and pumped another finger into Lauren's wetness. Building up her pace, she teased her clit with gentle licks, reading Lauren's breaths and movements to guide her.

The sensation was so piercing with a quick reflex, Lauren clutched Bo's hair as Bo suckled strongly at her and thrust inside her.

No longer breathing, Lauren reached her peak, and for one heartbeat she felt almost weightless, floating. Then the climax claimed her completely. Shuddering all over, she sighed out Bo's name.

Bo kissed her inner thigh, her hands skimmed down the smooth flesh of her stomach.

Still lost in a haze of passion, Lauren went limp, breathless, and smiling. Lauren's hair spilled over the pillow, her body glistening wet and gorgeous. Her eyes half closed, her face flushed with gratification. With the taste of her still on Bo's tongue, Bo kissed her, deeply. Lauren's mouth was hot and hungry over hers, tongue slipping in and out, drawing out a groan from Bo.

Pulling away from Bo's lips, Lauren lifted up, at the same time, Bo shuffled up sitting on her. Her bare thighs were warm against Lauren's legs. Lauren kissed Bo's forehead, and she shifted onto her knees, her body around Lauren.

Lauren's eyes met hers, and they sat face-to-face, staring at each other for a moment. Bo's eyes were swirling, vivid blue, hunger etched in every line of her face. Lauren knew what she was seeing. Bo's succubus side, but she didn't stop. She pressed one hand to Bo's back and stroked Bo with the tip of her finger, her slick wetness inviting her inside.

Bo kept her eyes locked on hers, desperate to feel Lauren inside her once more, she eased herself down to Lauren's fingers, drawing her deeper into her.

Losing herself in the moment, and the beautifully warm feel of Bo, Lauren's teeth tugged on Bo's lower lip. She slid her finger up fully inside her with her other hand palming her backside. Lauren watched Bo's face, mesmerized by the obvious pleasure she saw move across her features and the breathless moan that accompanied it.

Bo's fingers clasped the back of Lauren's head, her body writhing against her hand, her breasts bounced with each motion. Her stomach trembled, and her skin turned to fire as she moved in rhythm with Lauren's thrusts.

Shamelessly, Bo ground harder against Lauren's fingers. The feel of Lauren sliding in and out soon had her head tipping back. She closed her eyes and clung to Lauren, each ripple of her body around Lauren's fingers tore an answering moan from the back of her throat.

Lauren raked her gaze over Bo's beautiful face, watching every flash of pleasure blooming across her features, the warm trickle of her wetness ran down her hand, it was blissfully arousing to witness and feel.

Bo's breathing mounted, and she buried her face in Lauren's neck, inhaling her scent as she rode her fingers, hard and fast.

Bo raised both of her hands and settled her palms against Lauren's cheeks, holding her face. Kissing Lauren, Bo focused on the warmth of her lips against hers and the way her fingers slid sensually against her core with each long, hard stroke.

She spread herself further and moved her hips as Lauren withdrew and added two more fingers. The swells of excitement speared through Bo and Lauren deepened her thrusts and pressed her thumb against her swollen clit, eliciting a moan of pleasure from Bo.

With such a build up, the assault on her nerves was becoming too much too soon. Lauren drove her higher and higher with more force. Her skin misted with sweat, and she closed her eyes savoring every thrust Lauren gave her.

Bo's quick breaths grew more ragged, Lauren dragged her free hand up over the lush swell of Bo's breast. She cupped and kneaded it. She thumbed her nipple before pinching them between her fingers.

Deliberately, Lauren began to circle her fingers, stimulating Bo's most sensitive flesh, willing her to reach a climax, arousing her further.

Feeling herself achingly close, the tension built, growing fierce. Bo rode her hand faster and faster, the spasms of her core quivered around Lauren's fingers. Seized in ecstasy, Bo surged her hips as her release claimed her. It spread outward until she was tingling from head to toe.

The faint scent of sex filled the air, Lauren slipped her fingers out, and Bo let out a long satisfied sigh, holding a dreamy smile.

Lauren curled her arms around Bo's body, drowning in the raw heat radiating from her.

They held each other, arms and legs tangled, absorbing the glorious hazy aftershocks as their breathing slowed and leveled.

Stroking Bo's hair, Lauren was all too aware that the time they had left was fading quickly. She couldn't ignore the possibility that this might be one of their last moments together. The road ahead would be uncertain and dangerous. She closed her eyes, trying to hold on to the moment, but her thoughts consumed her.

XXXXX

Lauren wasn't sure how long they had remained there, their bodies intimately entwined together, enjoying the calm and connection. It was only when Bo took a deep breath that Lauren came back to the world.

Bo slanted her head, brushed her mouth up Lauren's jaw and, in her ear, said. "I want to stay like this forever…I could…" She stated in a broken whisper against Lauren's ear. "What's wrong with us? Why can't we get it right? We should have never been apart."

Breathing unsteadily, Lauren didn't answer, her palms pressed hard against Bo's back.

Bo drew back, held Lauren's face and brushed her thumbs across her cheekbones. "What's wrong?"

Lauren blinked herself away from her turbulent thoughts and shook it off. Lauren hesitated long enough that Bo suspected she wasn't going to say anything.

"It's nothing."

A spark of concern appeared in Bo's stormy eyes. "Tell me." She said, stroking Lauren's cheek.

"I won't let anything happen to you, Bo." Lauren's words came out wearier than she intended.

Bo was suddenly hyperaware of the fact that she was still very naked, straddling Lauren's legs. "I'm sorry for not believing in you, for not trusting you."

"Bo, you don't have to apologize to me. I had to earn your trust back, I understand."

Bo slipped off Lauren's lap and wrapped a sheet around her body. She gathered up a blanket and covered Lauren's shoulders with it. It was a thoughtful gesture and Lauren smiled.

"Let's make an agreement." Bo rested against the pillow and stared up at Lauren. "No more leaving each other."

Lauren's smile faded and she looked away for several seconds. Dread replaced her sense of calm. "The key to this place is in the details around us, and I fear I've missed something paramount."

Bo's throat felt tight, mindful that Lauren was dodging her statement, but she pushed her question out. "What does that mean?"

Lauren eased down, facing Bo. Her eyes were filled with exhaustion and admiration. "We don't have much time to finish this."

"What are you talking about?" Bo wondered with a frown. "Is something wrong?"

Lauren reached out and brushed the damp strands of hair away from her face. "You felt something, right? Before? I saw your eyes start to change."

Bo's eyes went wide in thought. She scooted closer to Lauren and whispered. "I think so."

"That's encouraging. Your old self is shining through. You're growing stronger, and it might help you remember."

Bo had a twinge of uneasiness that something was wrong, that Lauren was holding something back. "So what aren't you telling me, Lauren?"

Bo's face was so earnest that guilt hit her in a rush. "We must get to Grimley in two days, sooner if we can. It's our escape. This isn't your world, Bo. I can get you home, back to your family, but you have to trust me."

Bo's thoughts were blank as if she couldn't quite comprehend what Lauren had just said. She clenched her jaw, unsure about what to say. "What are you talking about?"

"It's a bit complicated for you to understand, but we are trapped in another reality, that's separate from our real world. All your memories are false, twisted by the Temple. We need to get you home."

Bo stared at Lauren with a puzzled look. The words sent a shaft of panic through her chest. "Honestly, I don't know what to say to that."

Lauren hesitated before sympathy filled her eyes. "You just have to accept that this whole situation is confusing. But it doesn't make it any less real."

Bo's expression fell away, and she struggled to choose her words. "I can barely understand any of this. Let's get it all out in the open."

Lauren took a deep breath and searched for a place to start. She wasn't sure Bo would believe her, but hopefully, once it was out in the open, they could work together. Without another thought, Lauren opened her mouth, and the words flowed out. They came slowly at first, and then quickly.

Bo sat quietly, focused on Lauren's words, but there was no denying the inner confusion she was going through. Quietly, she listened to Lauren tell her about her life, her friends, the Fae. For a moment, Bo wondered if she should question Lauren's trustworthiness, but they seemed to have moved past that. She brought her gaze to Lauren's and the seriousness in her eyes, spoke the truth.

Lauren opened her mouth, ready to tell Bo the next set of truths, but took a moment to catch her breath and gather her thoughts, instead.

In the silent moment, Bo barely registered much of what Lauren had told her but asked. "Dyson's a werewolf?"

"Wolf shifter, it's different."

Lauren stared at her for a long moment, trying to judge if she was understanding and believing her. She knew Bo was in turmoil, confused; she could see it in her face and body. She hoped hearing the truth would be enough to push Bo to action, seek a way out.

With her fingers tracing the outline of Bo's cheek, Lauren relayed the rest of the tale and told her about the Dawning.

They sat quietly, and Bo let out an almost haunted sigh. She twisted Lauren's words in her mind, trying to make it fit with what little she had seen for herself. Her entire life had been a lie. To think all her memories were false, her life, her feelings, it left her empty like she didn't know herself at all. Who was she? Was she really anyone without her memories?

Instead, of dwelling on that, Bo asked, "We're stuck here because I failed my Dawning or whatever?"

"I don't know why you're stuck here. I have no answers for that. But we need to concentrate on defeating the Temple. You need to finish this."

Something about Lauren's words tickled her consciousness. A shadow, almost, a memory hovered at the edge of her mind, but she couldn't reach it. Concentrating on small details helped give her some clarity. She needed to focus on the situation they were in now. "Okay…How do you know we need to go to Grimley?"

"It's the only lead I've got," Lauren said, she still wasn't convinced Bo was ready to trust her completely. "When I was missing, I was taken by the Caretaker of this reality, and he told me you needed to finish your Dawning. My theory is that all our clues are leading us back to your hometown."

Bo eyed Lauren a moment before she frowned. "We're not seriously planning on going there based on the Caretaker's words, are we?"

Listening to the Temple felt like stupidity, but Lauren found herself without other options. "We have to try. It's all we can do…" Her voice trailed off, leaving out the detail about Bo's choice, raked her with guilt and uncertainty. "How's your pain?" She asked as she gently pulled down the bandage to reveal the wound. She froze, and she looked up, her eyes wide. "You healed."

Bo followed her eyes and removed the rest of the bandage and inspected her skin. All her injuries were healed. "This isn't normal."

"It is for you. As a succubus, you always recover from injuries faster than others. Plus, sex. So, you are changing, your succubus is starting to reveal herself."

Bo laughed, struggling to keep up with all the new information. This whole situation seemed ridiculous. "I heal with sex? How absurd. Why didn't you tell me that before?"

"You'd think I was crazy."

"Obviously." Bo smirked with a slight amusement in her eyes. "So what's making me change?"

Lauren raised her eyebrows. "You're capable of many things, you've always been special. This place stole your life, your memories, but you have a power inside you that's brewing. It will help us, but you can't hold back. You'll have to fight your way out of this."

Bo's arms wrapped tightly around Lauren and Lauren sensed all her protective instincts had kicked in. If Bo felt half the need to protect her that she felt for her, Bo could be reckless, and that concerned her. Lauren felt responsible for the choice Bo would face, even though, it wasn't her fault.

"Bo, sometimes decisions are put in your path that take you to where you need to be. Even not choosing is a choice. I guess I just want you to remember that as you finish your Dawning."

"Then I choose to trust you and get us home." Bo declared, ignoring her phone as it rang with Dyson's name on the screen. "We have an advantage over this now because we are together."

 **XXXX**

 **AN**

 **Sorry about the wait for an update.**

 **Next up: A Dyson, Bo, and Lauren scene.**

 **Thanks for reading and reviewing.**


	8. Chapter 8

Dyson regretted going to work. He hadn't heard anything from Bo for several hours and his stomach knotted with jittery nerves.

Air caught in his lungs, and the enormity of his worry rooted him in place.

His gaze shifted around the empty house, and he squeezed his phone. His frustration built with every passing second. There was absolutely no sign of Bo, and he feared what might have happened to her.

Where was she? How could she just leave the house with her injuries? What was she thinking?

He took a deep breath and examined Bo's behavior over the past few weeks, and came to a conclusion. Bo would leave for only one reason. HER. Lauren.

He sighed, this was all his fault, he failed Bo. He should have never left her side. His fist connected with the wall as his temper flared with anger. He stared at the blood running down his knuckles and the purple bruises appearing on his skin.

If she were hurt, he'd never forgive himself. Bo, the only woman he had ever loved, the only person he could love, was gone. Missing.

He should be protecting her right then. A nagging ache inside him suggested Bo wasn't safe. Especially if she were with Lauren. Nothing good ever came from Bo interacting with that woman.

Panic overtook his body, and he collapsed into a chair. Desperation to keep Bo safe consumed his every waking moment since she was attacked, and honestly from long before. He would always go to great lengths to protect her, and now he felt helpless. How could he protect her when she was gone?

Where was she? The words echoed in his head until he thought he'd gone mad.

Dyson opened his phone, remembering the locator app on his phone and looked up Bo's location, or, at least, the location of her phone. Quickly, Bo's icon appeared. What sort of sick joke was this?

Why was Bo at a hotel?

His fingers clasped around the phone tightly, and he peeled his eyes away from the phone.

They're together at a hotel. He knew Bo was with Lauren.

His heart leaped up into his throat, and he could feel his pulse throbbing in his neck. His thoughts were running rampant as he stared at the screen. Together. Bo was with Lauren in a hotel. He dug his fingers into his temples. Lauren was scheming, untrustworthy, and he knew she was manipulating Bo. Like always. She knew Bo's weak points, and she was probably using them against her. He wasn't ready to accept that Bo had betrayed him, it was Lauren's fault.

Within seconds, Dyson regrouped, considering his options. The walls seemed to close in on him, and the air grew thick as rage rose in him. He needed to protect Bo from Lauren. It was an involuntary reaction. He couldn't control. It was like a physical need. She was with HER, and the realization stung. He loved Bo. Worried about her. Desired her. It's all he thought about, Bo. It was a need that came deep from within. Bo was his, and he couldn't lose her. Simple and true.

When the ache in his chest refused to be ignored any longer, he pulled himself up. He walked down the short distance to his car, deciding to check out this hotel for himself. He had to get to HIS girl.

XXXXX

The last few weeks couldn't really be summed up in words for Bo. In a short amount of time, everything she knew about her life was nothing but a lie. It was downright eerie to think someone changed her life by building an imaginary world and memories. How they had all ended up there was difficult for her to wrap her head around. Learning the truth about her life had already brought her so much confusion and pain. She knew she loved Lauren, but did she also love Dyson or were feelings apart of the manipulation? She felt something for Dyson, but was she in love with him? Was the other Bo in love with them both?

It was so confusing not to know what was real or not. The sad part was she knew it was only the beginning. Her confusion about everything lessened enough for her anger to surface. She was tired of others taking matters out of her hands. She wanted a shred of control over her own existence. Someone hijacked her life, and she wanted it back.

She feared her friends would be impacted by her choices moving forward, and she didn't want that. But there was a lot she still didn't know, and she needed those answers to ensure nothing happened to Dyson and Lauren. She believed with every part of her that trusting Lauren was her only choice.

Her phone started ringing again, bringing Bo out of her jumbled daze. She stared at the screen. It was Dyson. She wasn't ready to talk to him, so she silenced the phone. Her stomach rolled with guilt for not talking to him. She knew he was probably worried about her. She had got caught up in Lauren and lost track of the time and Dyson just disappeared from her mind. She knew she had to face him, but she wanted a few more minutes with Lauren before that. She hated hurting Dyson, even if the reality was false.

"What are you thinking about?" Bo glanced up at Lauren's voice, who stood in the doorway of the restroom.

Bo pulled Lauren into her arms. Hope and joy blossomed inside Bo as she pulled her closer. Her fingers stroked her cheek with a light touch as Lauren cast her eyes to the ground.

"Everything and nothing," Bo's nose pressed against the side of Lauren's face, her lips hovering over her mouth.

Bo pulled her lower lip into her mouth and slowly sucked. Lauren's stomach tightened as she moved her warm lips across hers and her heart quickened as she deepened the kiss.

An undercurrent of adrenaline flowed along the surface of Bo's skin, causing a slight tingle deep in her chest. She wasn't frightened, it was unexpectedly pleasurable.

Bo jerked away from Lauren and gasped in surprise and delight. Every inch of her shivered with anticipation.

Lauren tensed out of reflex and studied her eyes. "Do you feel something?"

Unable to really define what she was feeling, Bo shrugged before she answered. "It's hard to tell. How do I figure out how to use my abilities? They seemed to come and go without much control on my part."

A slow smile quirked up the corners of Lauren's mouth. "Practice."

Bo licked her lower lip and darted her eyes down Lauren's body, and then back to her eyes.

Lauren stared into Bo's eyes for several seconds. "I didn't mean with sex. When you feel something, play around with it and don't let your conceptual mind limit the possibilities." She said, wanting to believe the truth of that, and hoping Bo would too.

Bo wrapped her arms around Lauren's waist, drawing her closer. "Now what? What do we do next?" She asked, with a genuine smile that lit up her entire face.

Anxiety prickled the hairs on the back of Lauren's neck. "First, we need to get to Grimley. Maybe it's a chance to get more information."

Lauren couldn't be sure of anything, and they both were aware of that. But it didn't matter. It all boiled down to the fact that they had to try, do something.

"Or maybe it's a trap."

A knowing look passed between them before Lauren leaned back and stepped away from Bo. "Well, think about it this way, if we can discover any clues, even just a few, we can learn more information than we have now."

"Do you think there's any way to extract all three of us from this awful mess unharmed?" Bo asked, looking to Lauren for reassurance.

"This reality is dangerous on so many levels. But you've been in impossible situations before and gotten out." Lauren replied, not directly answering Bo's question.

Bo pinched her lips together, deep in thought. "I wish I could remember that. All of it. How can I finish my Dawning when I can't remember any of it? I mean it's hard to play the game when you don't know the rules."

Lauren looked wistful. "We need to focus on what we do know." She glanced away from Bo toward the window. "We have the Grimley clue from Kyle's body. Then The Temple tried to stop you from getting there by blocking it off and attacking you. Also, the location is connected to your past. It's a solid link to your other self, and it might spark your memories."

Lauren walked over to the window and peered through the opening in the curtains. There were so many problems with her plan moving forward. She had no idea if they were walking into a trap or not, what the Temple had in store for Bo. The Temple was spoon-feeding her information. The question was why? Why her and not Bo? Surely there was more going on than she could understand. Yet, she couldn't ignore the fact that they were running out of time. She felt the cold truth of it in her bones. And that was the part that frightened her the most.

If she could figure out the end game of the Caretaker, she was certain she could help Bo regain her free will and memories.

But something just didn't add up.

They were silent until Lauren spun around to face Bo. "I have an errand I need to run before we go." She paused, worry filled her eyes. She didn't want to leave Bo alone. "Will you be all right by yourself?"

Bo nodded and picked up her gun. "I have this. I'll just take a quick shower while you're gone." She said, heading to the bathroom.

The shower turned on as Lauren unzipped her bag, finding a few items of clothing, toiletries, and various items. Digging deeper, she found several guns and ammunition. She did a quick inventory of their supplies, then shoved one of the guns in her jeans. Lauren wanted to prepare for the unforeseen, and this situation screamed for it. If it was a trap, they were going to be ready. She strapped another pistol to her ankle and pulled out a bulletproof vest. Stripping off her shirt, she fastened the vest on and then put her shirt back on. She wasn't feeling very lucky and wanted to be prepared. She could also feel time running out. Hastily, she zipped up the bag, stood and slung the duffle bag over her shoulder.

After she opened the door, a quick glance around told Lauren it was safe to leave. With a parting glance at the room, she jogged across the parking lot to her car.

XXXXX

Minutes later, Bo walked back out of the shower with her hair still wet. She tossed her towel on the bed and moved to the window. She looked through the slit between the drapes. The parking lot was mostly empty, and Lauren wasn't back yet.

KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK

"Bo, are you in there?" Dyson yelled through the door. His voice raised in panic.

As Dyson shouted through the door, Bo marched across the room.

Dyson's face filled the peephole, Bo fumbled with the doorknob and swung the door open. Seeing Dyson was the last thing she'd expected.

"Bo, you're okay." He shut the door behind him and wrapped his arms around her.

Bo's shoulders jerked with a sharp intake of breath. Her eyebrows scrunched in confusion. What was Dyson doing there?

He released her from his vice like grip. He narrowed his eyes as he scanned her up and down. "You look tired and like you need to sit down. In fact, you shouldn't even be out of bed!"

"Dyson, I'm all right." Bo protested as he led her to the edge of the bed.

He sat beside her and took her hand. "You're so stubborn." He kissed her hand. "You can't just bounce back from your injuries. If you're not careful, you'll make them worse." He lifted his hand to her shirt. "Let me check."

She held his hand to stop him. "Really, I'm okay."

Dyson grunted at her reaction and glanced around the room for signs of Lauren. But he found nothing, only his gut screaming at him that she was somewhere nearby. "Why didn't you call me? I was so worried."

"We ran into some trouble related to a case we're working on." A pang of regret swept over her face, and she glanced away. She hated being dishonest, but it wasn't the time to get into the details of her night with Lauren. They had bigger, more pressing matters to deal with at that moment. And she worried about his reaction when he learned the truth. He was borderline obsessive with her lately, and she needed to focus on their mission to Grimley. She had a lot of things to say to him, but they would all have to wait.

The word 'we' caused him to inhale sharply. He raised his eyebrows, questioning her honesty. "Why did you need a shower?"

"How did you know I was here?" Bo asked, answering his question with one of her own.

He clenched his fists and glanced around the room. "There's a location tracking app on your phone." He met her eyes and gave her a tight smile. "Sorry, I didn't tell you I activated it. But it was for your protection."

Bo's eyes flew open in surprise hearing that. It seemed like a violation of her privacy. "Look, I know you want to protect me, but I'm stronger than I was. I can defend myself."

He stood and grabbed the back of his head in his hands. "Was Lauren here with you?"

Bo nodded, slowly, reluctantly, as Dyson's eyes bore into her. But she offered no more details than that, her emotions not visible on her face. That was the only answer she planned on giving.

He hovered over her, his eyes wild with jealousy and rage. "You are blind to Lauren and the threats she presents. Can't you see that?" His voice held a sharp edge.

Bo answered him with icy silence. She looked up at him, face calm, betraying nothing.

Dyson extended his hand to touch her, and she flinched. She wasn't sure why, but her guard was up, and her body was on high alert.

Her response flabbergasted him, and he moved his hand to lightly stroke her wet hair. "I'm sorry, Bo. I'm sorry. I love you. I waited for you to be mine for so long. I don't want you getting hurt."

Before she could respond to that, her phone beeped with a message. "I'm back. Checking us out now. Meet you out front."

Bo rose slowly off the bed, pocketing her phone. "I have to go."

Dyson's hands fell to his sides, and his eyes flew wide revealing his confusion and alarm. "Have you lost your mind?" He asked, following Bo across the room.

Without a response, Bo gathered her things and heaved the door open.

XXXX

Dyson and Bo walked out of the hotel room together. Bo strode across the tiny parking lot and scanned the area looking for Lauren. It was very early in the morning, and the sun wasn't up yet, and the poorly lit area made her jumpy. With no Lauren in sight, Bo started off to Lauren's car, parked out front.

Dyson stood in the middle of the parking lot, still trying to figure out what was going on. "Let me get you home." Dyson insisted trying to guide Bo to his car.

Bo circled Lauren's car to the driver's side. "Lauren and I are going to Grimley for a case."

Dyson's face hardened, and he followed her. "No. This is getting out of hand." His intense need to shield Bo from danger overtook his mind. "What are you doing?"

Bo released an exasperated sound. She stood by the car door with her hand on her hip. "I'm sorry, but it's my decision. You don't get a say in this." Her voice was calm, but the look in her eyes told him she was serious.

"Then I'm coming with you." He said, his voice loud with anger.

Bo gaped at him in annoyance as she swung the car door open. "You can't go with us." She said, tossing a bag behind her.

"The hell I can't!" Dyson leaned in the open window on the passenger side. "You can't go, Bo." He turned around to see Lauren step out of the building. "Not with her!"

"Don't. Not now." Bo squeezed the steering wheel, and he opened the door, climbing in.

Bo wanted to roll her eyes but refrained. "What do you think you're doing?" She demanded as she glared at him in annoyance. They didn't have time for this.

"I'm not letting you out of my sight." He said as he fastened his seatbelt. "And that is not negotiable."

The trip to the store had been uneventful, as well as the checkout process. Lauren paused and looked for signs of anyone watching them. Everything was quiet. She threw a bag over her shoulder, walking to her car. As she approached the vehicle, she caught a glimpse of two figures inside. With her hand on her gun, she took slow, purposeful steps to the car.

Lauren stood outside the car and peered through the window. She saw Dyson and Bo arguing, and she couldn't repress her intake of agitated breath. Why was Dyson there? His presence would only complicate the situation and put him in danger, as well as Bo. She gave herself a mental pep talk to try to retain some control over the emotions Dyson was likely to stir.

Lauren and Bo's eyes caught for a quick second, but Bo broke the connection by looking away. Lauren considered demanding an explanation but didn't want to waste the time. Silently, she opened the back door and shoved their supplies in the backseat before slipping in herself.

Lauren swept her eyes back and forth between them and tossed Bo the keys. She wondered if Bo had called Dyson, but she thought that was unlikely. And then, she wondered if Bo told him anything, again she thought that was improbable.

Dyson braced his hands on the dashboard. "Lauren."

Bo drove off, watching Lauren in the rearview mirror. The only obvious thing about Dyson and Lauren's relationship was that they had a lot of animosity for one another. Their rigid postures made Bo even more anxious than she already was. Rather than deal with what was sure to be an inevitable argument, Bo focused on the task ahead, trying to ignore the uncomfortable energy.

Although part of her wanted to tell Dyson to piss off, she forced a smile, instead. "Dyson." She said through a clenched jaw. In spite of her efforts, her annoyance slipped through.

Lauren forced another smile after she caught Bo staring at her. She hastily looked away, turning her focus on the road. But her attention turned to Dyson when he jerked his head back to glare at her.

"Do you have something to say?" He asked, disdain evident in his tone. He settled back against his seat with a clenched jaw.

As grating as it was, Lauren knew this Dyson was also being manipulated by the Temple's games. She needed to play nice so they could collect the information they needed, and not let herself get baited into a disagreement. She looked away and mumbled an apology. She pressed her fingernails into her palms, fighting the urge to vent her frustration on Dyson.

Bo's eyes darted between the two of them quickly. She was about to cut in when Dyson spoke again. "Why are you holding back now? Say what you need to say."

Gripping her hands, Lauren bit her lip and contemplated her response. "Why are you here?" She asked her anger erupted anew.

Dyson slammed his fist into the seat and then spun around to thrust his head between the seats. "Bo and I are together. Okay? Accept that, move on."

Lauren's heart flip-flopped, and her leg jiggled with barely contain irritation. She continued to remind herself that it was all a manipulation. She knew Dyson wasn't himself, but there was no denying his words cut deep. She swallowed, refusing to let her emotions be swayed. "We're all on the same side here. I assume you know we're going to Grimley."

Dyson glared at her, brow arched, lip curled into a sneer. "Yes. I came along because I don't trust your motives. Not with this case and certainly not with Bo."

"Time is one luxury we don't have, can you two stop." Bo cut in, glancing at Lauren in the rearview mirror. She hoped Lauren could read the apology in her eyes.

Dyson flipped back in the seat, resting his head on the headrest. He stayed quiet, giving Lauren momentary satisfaction.

Lauren kept her eyes fixed on the passing landscape, squashing a lingering feeling of anxiety that crept in whenever she thought about their next move. Her instincts told her that going to Grimley was the best course of action, yet she couldn't shake the dread. The little control she had seemed to be slipping away. She wasn't in control of anything, and there were no real clues to follow. And Dyson's presence only complicated things further.

As they drove in silence, Dyson tried to extend his legs in the cramped space without much luck. Growing frustrated, he snapped his head back to glare at Lauren. "What were you too really doing in that hotel?" Dyson asked the words were bitter on his tongue.

Bo took a deep breath and then released it. "Talking." She replied vaguely.

Dyson waited, and when she said nothing more, he pressed on. "Answer the question."

Dyson looked at Bo, who wrung her hands on the steering wheel, her lips pressed together.

"Like I said talking and planning. We're working on a dangerous case." Bo took a deep breath and focused on driving, trying not to let the awkward situation get to her.

"Lauren's not to be trusted. She's manipulating you with words. It's what she's good at." He spat the words out through clenched teeth.

Lauren scoffed, striving for patience and wondering how long she would be able to put up with his accusations before blurting out the truth. "Dyson don't presume to know anything about me. You don't know me. In fact, you've never tried to get to know me or understand my point-of-view. You've treated me like I was beneath you from the moment we met. I've always tried to help Bo, in my own way."

Dyson whipped around again and raked his eyes over Lauren. "I would take a bullet for Bo, can you say the same?"

Lauren rolled her eyes. "I prefer to take out a threat before shots are even fired."

Dyson shook his head with contempt. "That doesn't even answer my question."

Lauren shot him a go to hell glare. "While you are busy always wanting to be Bo's bodyguard. I happen to realize she's strong enough on her own. She needs support, a partner not a protector."

Bo turned to face Lauren and then Dyson, anger boiling in the pit of her stomach. "Will you two stop talking about me like I'm not here?" She snapped, cutting off their back and forth.

Dyson huffed and slammed back in his seat. Lauren glanced at Bo and then turned her attention back on the road, thankful for the silence.

They drove in unnerving silence while Bo fidgeted her fingers on the steering wheel. Tension hung in the air, thick, choking Bo with a dread she couldn't pinpoint. It wasn't Dyson and Lauren's argument; it was something bigger, more foreboding.

Lauren constantly checked around them for signs of being followed and Dyson watched Bo the whole time. As they drove and the hours ticked by, the sun rose and hung bright and high in the sky above them. But the sunlight didn't serve to improve the mood inside the car.

XXXXX

Hours into their journey the landscape seemed to shift around them. The roads were damaged with large chunks of asphalt missing. Everything around was faded brown and gray, except the sky, which was a bright blue. Collapsed and toppled trees scattered the fields beside the road, most of the plant life was destroyed.

"How much farther?" Dyson whined, rubbing his stiff leg muscles.

"I'm not even sure we're going the right way. I don't recognize anything." Bo swept her eyes around, comparing and contrasting this landscape from the one in her memory.

Lauren frowned as she considered Bo's words and the increasingly strange situation. Had the Temple destroyed the way to Grimley to keep them out? Why? What were they facing now? They had no idea what they would find there. Considering the current events, she doubted it would be anything positive or expected.

The tire hit a rut in the ground, shaking the car. "Shit." Bo barked, spotting something in the distance. "What's that?" She asked, getting Lauren and Dyson's attention.

The object ahead was too far away to be decipherable; it was the first structure they'd come across in a long time. She slowed the car as they approached.

"Was that here before?" Lauren asked as she shifted in her seat to lean forward.

"Not that I remember. But everything's different." She glanced at Lauren. "But according to the GPS, we're going the right way." To Bo, this was additional proof that Lauren was telling the truth. As soon as they crossed the city limits toward Grimley everything was off. She had yet to see any signs of life, only the barren, destroyed land.

"Do we check it out or stay the hell away?" Bo asked Lauren. She kept her voice calm to downplay her uneasiness.

Lauren met her eyes, mind calculating their options but not saying a word. They all sat in silence for several seconds.

"This is not a good idea, I can feel it," Dyson said, his gaze sharp and intensely focused on Bo.

"Maybe you should have stayed at home," Lauren muttered under her breath.

"We're all confused here, but we have to work together, not tear into each other. We need to stick together." Bo said with conviction, signaling the end of their argument.

To Lauren's surprise, Dyson gave a sharp nod of agreement.

"That is the one thing we can all agree upon," Lauren said, offering her own assent.

Bo slowed the car and crept forward until they were parked in front of the broken building. Pieces of glass were scattered across the cracked concrete, a sign was still attached to the building but hanging loose, letters were missing leaving no indication of what the building used to be.

Bo reached for her door. "I say we go inside. We need to check this out." She said. They hadn't come this far just to be thwarted, and her gut told her to investigate.

"It's not safe. We don't know what happened here." Dyson said, gripping Bo's shoulder.

"It doesn't matter if it's safe or not. This is too strange we need to investigate. We came all this way."

Glancing out the window, Lauren's face twisted in deliberation. "She's right. We need answers. We can't ignore this."

Dyson's mouth opened in surprise. He ignored Lauren and zeroed in on Bo's face. "I can't let you go out there."

Lauren rolled her eyes, annoyed. "I think Bo's more than capable of making up her own mind. She can handle herself."

Bo looked at Lauren, grateful for her support. She reached for her handgun in her bag and shoved it into her holster.

Dyson's head fell back; a protest faded on his tongue. It was two against one, and he knew he wouldn't win this battle. "Fine let's do this quickly." He mumbled out after a string of curses.

Lauren pulled out flashlights from her bag and reached for an extra handgun at the bottom. She offered it to Dyson, and at the same time Bo retrieved her own bulletproof vest from the back seat and strapped it on.

He stared at the gun for several seconds. "A stun gun? Give me a real one."

"We're not looking to permanently hurt anyone. It's only a precaution. Plus, you're not trained to handle a real weapon." Lauren said with a smirk and hopped out of the car.

Dyson and Bo climbed out of the car, following Lauren. The sun was bright and blinding. Bo covered her eyes as she scanned the desolate land around them. "What happened here?" Bo asked out loud, knowing no one had the answers. She struggled to get a grip on the view in front of her. Slowly, her reality had been ripped away from her, and looking at this destruction reminded her she needed to let go of everything she had thought to be true. She was walking into the unknown now.

Lauren glanced around and stuck her gun down into the front of her waistband. "It looks like it was a convenient store or something," Lauren replied, and then clicked on her flashlight, checking the power.

Lauren's ever-watchful gaze swept over Bo before she opened the trunk and pulled out a vest for Dyson. She wished she could get a moment to talk with Bo, but Dyson was stuck to Bo's side, leaving Lauren without an opportunity to get her alone.

Dyson hovered over Bo's shoulder. "But one that's been abandoned for fifty years." He said gruffly, close to her ear.

Lauren slapped the vest hard against Dyson's shoulder. "Put this on. Just in case."

"I don't like this," He growled, fastening it on as best he could.

Bo grunted in frustration and stepped around him. "Well, it won't hurt to check it out." Confident and decisive, Bo turned sideways and slipped through the busted doorframe.

Not letting Bo leave his side, Dyson was on her heels.

After taking a careful assessment of their surroundings, Lauren followed them into the darkness.

The smell of mildew and rotting food hit them immediately. The store was a disaster. It looked like it had been ransacked, several times. Trash was thrown everywhere, the place was a mess. A thick layer of dust covered all the shelves and cobwebs hung from the ceiling.

Bo's anticipation grew with each step. "I feel like I've stepped into a zombie movie. This is creepy." Bo's voice broke into the harsh quiet.

The beams of their flashlights swept slowly over the space, finding cobwebs and empty shelves. Metal racks had been overturned, and Dyson pushed them out of the way to clear a path. Slowly, and cautiously they moved toward the back of the store. At the end, a door hung open with a storage sign placed over it.

Dyson moved protectively behind Bo and looked over her shoulder.

Bo pushed the door back and focused her flashlight on the opening. A guttural sound escaped Dyson, and he stayed close behind her while Lauren kept her focus on their backs.

The room sent an involuntary shiver down Bo's spine, but she was certain it wasn't from the temperature. Something was wrong about that room, that place. Her feet stuck to the floor, and her ears strain to pick up any sounds.

As they passed the bare shelving, Bo wondered about what happened to this place. Why would the Temple, or whatever bother destroying this store?

Lauren turned down another aisle to investigate the other side of the room. Her light tracked the floor and shone across beady eyes. "Rats." She breathed a sigh of relief and marched on.

"We need to get out of here," Dyson whispered in a tight voice behind Bo.

Bo's flashlight scanned the room, and a low groan came from the far corner. Her light reached the corner, and something turned toward them, its eyes shining in the light. A young girl sat in the corner. Her hands were tied, and a cloth covered her mouth. Her eyes darted wild with fear.

Dyson held up his stun gun and pointed it at the girl.

Bo stepped forward and dropped to one knee. "It's okay. I promise I won't hurt you." The girl flinched back, but her hands were bound in front of her, palms together. Her clothes were torn and dirty, with bruises on her face. A wave of unexpected emotions swept through Bo as she looked at the girl. Bo tried to shake it off. Even if it was a buried memory tugging at her, she doubted it would surface at that moment. She thought the girl looked vaguely like a CO she had once worked with, but she couldn't be sure.

Lauren rushed up behind Bo and jerked to a halt when she saw the bound girl. "Kenzi?"

Bo looked up at Lauren, her eyes clouded with puzzlement.

Lauren stared down at the girl, even more, bewildered. "Kenzi is that really you?"

 **XXXXX**

 **AN**

 **Is that the real Kenzi or a plant by the Temple? Hmm, I wonder.**

 **Thanks for reading and reviewing :)**


	9. Chapter 9

**AN**

 **Just a warning, a dark, violent scene coming up.**

XXXXXX

"Something's not right here. Why is this girl tied up in the middle of this destroyed store?" Dyson's gruff voice startled Bo, and she glanced at him for a moment, and then her eyes landed back on Lauren.

Lauren moved slowly toward Kenzi and crouched down beside her. "I'm going to untie you." She said, using a calm, soothing voice.

Kenzi gave a quick nod, then looked up at Bo. Their eyes met, and Bo tried to pull out the memories that lingered on the edge of her mind. But nothing came.

Bo handed Lauren a small pocketknife, and in a quick motion she sliced through the bindings, freeing Kenzi.

Kenzi jerked the gag from her mouth and tossed it to the ground. She wiped the dirt and dust from her hair. "Took you long enough, Doc." Kenzi stood up slowly and rubbed her wrists.

Lauren studied Kenzi's face, looking over her bruises. "Let me check out your injuries."

Dyson scoffed and crossed his arms over his chest. "I'm the doctor here."

Kenzi screwed up her face, glancing his way. "For some reason, the image of you as a doctor scares me."

"What does that mean?" Dyson hissed the words, his voice thick with anger.

Kenzi gingerly fingered her face and continued as though she didn't hear Dyson. "Quit worrying about me Lauren. I'm all right."

Lauren kept a critical eye on Kenzi, and asked, "How did you get here?"

Kenzi snorted loudly. "Duh. I was kidnapped," She gestured her arms wide for emphasis. "Like hello."

"Kidnap by who?" Bo asked, at the same time Lauren said, "Kenzi, you know what I mean."

Kenzi didn't answer Bo or Lauren. She walked past a stunned Dyson toward the door. "I'm outta here. I suggest we all get going while we can."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Dyson asked with a suspicious tone and placed himself in front of Bo as a shield. "Who is this girl?"

"It means whoever tied me up will probably be back soon, and they'd love to get their hands on Bo. So, if no one has a better idea, I say we ditched this place, ASAP."

Bo stepped around Dyson and caught Lauren's gaze, silent understanding passing between them. She had a lot of questions for Lauren and Kenzi, but she knew time was of the essence. "Okay, let's go." She said, and with a determined stride, she headed for the door.

XXXXX

Outside, Dyson blocked Lauren's path to the car. "How do you know that girl?"

They had a momentary standoff before Lauren answered. "From a case." She tilted her head and glared at him. "I'm a cop, remember?"

Dyson refused to move. He ran a distrustful eye up and down Lauren's body with a frown. "Why is it, I don't believe anything you say?"

Dyson's continued suspicions were getting under Lauren's skin. "What do you think I'm going to do?"

Dyson paused, shooting Bo a quick look, almost like he couldn't help it. "I wouldn't put anything passed you."

White-hot anger flared in Lauren at the way he kept clinging to petty mistrust. She folded her arms across her body, unclenching her teeth enough to spit out, "It's time for you to get over yourself and your issues, and look forward, not back."

Kenzi threw her hands up and stepped between Dyson and Lauren. "Isn't this competing lovers thing so last year?" She patted Dyson's shoulder, giving him a kind smile. "Relax D-man; we're all good guys here."

Dyson looked stumped; his face hardened into a stone expression. "Who are you?"

"I think we're about to have company," Bo announced loudly, cutting them off.

All their heads whipped to the direction Bo was staring.

Lauren jogged up to Bo's side to get a better look. She shaded her eyes with her hand, squinting into the deserted landscape. A spiral of dust grew larger in the distance and headed right in their direction. The whole scene hit her as a potential threat. Dread fell through her, but she pushed it aside, and said, "We have about five minutes before they get here."

Bo's eyes held Lauren's, and they grew serious like she can read the fear in Lauren's thoughts. She reached out and squeezed Lauren's hand once before letting go. In another time, a different place, the gesture might have soothed Lauren and made her smile. However, at that moment, all she felt was apprehension that hung heavy and oppressive in her chest.

"I'm out of my element in this place. But I think we should go." Kenzi said, grabbing a confused Dyson's arm to pull him to the car.

Without another word, they climbed into the car, and Bo turned over the ignition.

Bo's hands trembled slightly as she pulled away from the building. "Which way?" She asked Lauren, staring at her in the rearview mirror.

"Away from the danger would be my suggestion," Kenzi answered, clutching the back seat and looking out the window. The dust cloud followed them as two cars were in pursuit.

"What the hell is going on?" Dyson asked glancing to the side mirror and then back at Bo.

"We have no idea what we're running from, and I don't think we should find out…."

The gunshots behind them cut off Bo's words, and Dyson grabbed her arm. "Are they shooting at us?"

Lauren leaned sideways out the back window, evaluating the situation.

"Suggestions?" Bo's voice rose in pitch.

"I'm thinking," Lauren answered, her mind spun with different scenarios as she darted her eyes in every direction.

"Think faster." Kenzi ducked down in her seat when a shot hit the back window, breaking the glass.

Lauren calculated quickly and pointed ahead to the windshield. "Drive through that gap of fallen trees up ahead. Drive slow and let me out." She stated calmly.

Bo turned to Lauren, and her mouth dropped open in confusion. Lauren's words floored her, and she struggled to find a response. "Are you serious? Why?"

"You're going to have to trust me." Lauren's eyes held Bo's for a second before she slung her bag over her shoulder.

"Do you have a plan?" Bo asked, sounding panicked as she caught Lauren's eye again.

"It seems highly unlikely we will outrun them, and engaging them in a gun fight puts us all at risk. I do have a plan, just trust me." Lauren offered Bo a reassuring smile and patted the bag on her shoulder.

An annoyed growl escaped Dyson. "What are you planning on doing?"

Lauren locked eyes with Bo again, steady and sure, and said. "Saving our asses."

Dyson braced his hands on the dashboard as Bo increased their speed, trying to put some distance between them and their pursuers.

"Just keep driving. This is crazy." Dyson told Bo.

Another shot rang out behind them. It was a lot to take in, too much happening, too fast and Bo struggled to make the right decision. Could she really let Lauren go out there? How could she drive off and let her face this danger alone?

More shots blasted, and Bo scrambled to find an alternative but came up empty. The moment and events were surreal to her.

Spurred into action, Bo obeyed Lauren's directions. Her heart beat so quickly she could barely catch her breath as she pulled into the gap. She grimaced at her decision and slowed the car to a crawl.

Opening the back door, Lauren quickly glanced back at Bo over her shoulder. "Don't leave me, okay? I'll be waiting for you to come back."

Bo's stomach balled in apprehension, she sucked in a deep breath and asked. "How will I know when to come back?"

Lauren gave her a small smile. "Just listen for the boom." And then she jumped out before Bo could respond.

Bo looked in the rearview mirror and saw no signs of Lauren. Her panic rose as she drove down the road further away from her.

The car was quiet, the air tense until a loud explosion shook the car. Down the road the vehicles exploded, shooting flames into the sky.

"Well, there's Lauren's boom," Kenzi said, staring out the back window at the fire. "How many more tricks does our Lauren have up her sleeves?"

Bo hit the brakes, the car skidded to a stop before she jerked the wheel, and turned the car around back toward Lauren.

Several feet from the fire that burned in the middle of the road, Bo threw the car into park, hopped out the door and scanned the area for signs of Lauren.

Kenzi and Dyson followed her from the car and stood beside her.

"Where is she?" Kenzi asked, jerking her head side to side.

Bo ran off scanning the area. "Lauren." She shouted out trying to catch her breath as she looked around.

As Bo said her name, she emerged from a pile of tree branches and strode toward them with a confident strut.

They watched her for several seconds before Dyson broke the silence. "What just happened?" He demanded, and then gazed at the burning metal. "How did you blow up that car?"

Lauren's eyes hardened, and she swallowed. Her mouth twisted as she contemplated answering his question. There was no way she was going to tell Dyson everything. "That's my business, not yours. I came prepared. And you're welcome."

A flash of bitter amazement crossed his face before his typical look of disdain replaced it.

Bo came to stand beside Lauren and placed a light hand on her shoulder. "Are you okay?"

Lauren pulled her eyes from Dyson to Bo. Her voice and face softened. "I'm fine." She assured her.

The look on Lauren's face made Bo's heart ache. The instinct to comfort her came quickly. Her fingertips slid down Lauren's arm and ghosted against Lauren's hand. "That was some quick thinking. You keep saving me."

Lauren took Bo's finger in between her fingers in a gentle caress. Their gazes held full of all the words that neither of them could voice at that moment.

Dyson cleared his throat, loudly and with meaning. "What are we going to do now?" He asked, his eyes darting back and forth between Bo and Lauren.

Lauren shot Bo a half smile and stepped away from her. "We need to keep going." She told the group as she walked to the back passenger's door.

Dyson opened his mouth to quarrel, but Kenzi gripped his shoulder and pushed him to the car. "Not the time, big guy. Not the time."

Bo's head fell back, gazing into the sky. It was beginning to darken, and the wind picked up. At that moment, she desperately wanted a second alone with Lauren. The events were becoming more confusing and disturbing than she expected. But she was facing a more pressing situation that demanded her attention. Those thoughts faded, replaced with the fury that began to swell inside her. No one messed with those she loved and got away with it. She walked with purpose back to the car. The clock was ticking, and they had to keep going.

XXXXX

They drove another twenty minutes, heading in the direction Kenzi told them to go until they crept through a deserted neighborhood.

Kenzi leaned her elbow on the window ledge and rested her chin in her palm.

Lauren poked Kenzi's shoulder and mouthed. "We need to talk."

"We will." Kenzi mouthed back before turning her attention back to the window.

"Shouldn't there be more people around?" Dyson asked, leaning back into the seat and shutting his eyes. "Where is everyone?"

Bo glanced at Dyson, and then back at the empty road. "I'm just happy no one's shooting at us."

"There." Kenzi perked up and pointed ahead. "We need to go there."

"For what?" Bo asked as she studied the broken house on the street corner that Kenzi had indicated.

"It's important."

Bo pulled into the yard and inched toward the house before she stopped. "We need to keep going, in case, anyone followed us here."

"It will only take two minutes. You two stay here. I need Lauren's help." Kenzi said, turning to Lauren.

Bo shook her head, a fierce protectiveness flooded her, chewing at her already strained nerves. "We should all go." With a slight turn of her head, Bo looked at Lauren with a distressed face. She didn't remember Kenzi. She didn't know who she was, or if they could trust her. She was definitely a mystery, and one she wished she could get answers from.

"You need to keep watch." Kenzi pointed behind them, quickly looking in Lauren's direction. "It won't take long."

"Lauren…" Bo begged, a pained expression clouding her face.

"I'll be fine," Lauren's voice was serious, and focused, as she stuffed her gun down into her waistband. She was resolved to see this through, get a moment alone with Kenzi, even though the events were confusing.

Dyson rolled his eyes, making an impatient sound. "Let them go. Arguing is wasting time."

Bo refused to look at Dyson when he spoke. She looked at Kenzi and then Lauren before nodding. She wanted to argue with them but didn't. She could debate with Lauren about this all day, and it probably wouldn't change her mind. And time wasn't a luxury they had. She needed to trust Lauren's judgment.

Hastily, Kenzi and Lauren climbed out of the car. Lauren examined the house, intrigued. "What do you need?" She asked, turning to Kenzi for answers.

"I hid something around back," Kenzi replied leading Lauren to the backyard.

Lauren swallowed her dry throat, overwhelmed with the events of the last day, last week. "What?"

Kenzi laughed and shoved Lauren's shoulder. "Have a little faith here."

When they rounded the corner, Lauren grabbed Kenzi's wrist and pulled her to a halt. She leveled her face with Kenzi's. "What are you doing here? How did you get here?"

Kenzi twisted Lauren off, and she resumed walking. "I'm here to help. But I'm starting to have second thoughts about that." Her back was to Lauren so she couldn't read anything in her expression.

Lauren sagged against the house, rubbing her eyes. "Funny." She exhaled with exhaustion. She pushed the events of the last few days out of her mind and focused on the fact that so far they'd survived. But Kenzi's sudden appearance was making her question everything. It wouldn't be the first time the Temple tried to blindside her with false words and people from her world. But she shelved her questions letting Kenzi search for what was hidden. Her only option was to wait and keep up her guard.

Kenzi crouched down at the corner of the house and felt for the edge of the crawl space opening. She crawled halfway in, and then emerged a second later. "Got it." She waved something in the air with a smile. "There's a portal to our world in Grimley. The one I came through. It's right there waiting for us." She showed Lauren the object in her hand as Lauren's attention snapped to her hand. "This key will open the portal."

Lauren's eyes lit up, but she couldn't help worrying that it all seemed too easy. "Where did you get that?" Her voice was low and controlled.

Kenzi shrugged, and then fisted her hand on her hip. "I stole it. While you were working Bo, I was getting the key."

"How do I know you're the real Kenzi?" Lauren's question was blunt, her eyes intense.

Kenzi gave no reaction and took a step around Lauren. "There's only one Kenzi, Lauren. We need to go on with the plan. Get Bo home."

Lauren grabbed Kenzi's arm to stop her. "It's very convenient that you show up here with exactly the information we need. You just appeared out of nowhere, with the key to our escape." She gestured to Kenzi's hand. "Give me a reason to trust you." Her voice and eyes were pleading, almost desperate.

"Not that convenient I almost died getting that key." Lauren glared at Kenzi, and she sighed. "Fine. I don't blame you for not trusting me, but it's really me. I don't have any way to prove it; you need to give me the opportunity to prove myself to you." She reached out and squeezed Lauren's shoulder. "It's up to Team Human to save Bo this time. It's why we're both here."

Lauren stared at Kenzi's hand on her shoulder, and then to her eyes. "But why do you have your memories? How did you get here?"

"Trick sent me in to help you, help Bo. I don't know why I have my memories."

Frustrated, Lauren squeezed her eyes shut and tapped a finger to her temple. Kenzi wasn't giving her any real answers. There was a lot at stake, and she couldn't afford a mistake. And trusting Kenzi could be a mistake.

"Anyway, we need to concentrate on getting the energy source for the portal."

"So what's the energy source?" Lauren asked, her eyes searching Kenzi's for any signs of duplicity.

"That I don't know. Your guess is as good as mine…" Kenzi's voice trailed off as she heard voices.

Bo and Dyson rounded the corner, arguing loudly as they walked side by side.

"This might be a trap." Dyson barked, clutching Bo's hand in his.

Lauren's gaze was trained on Bo when she came into view, twenty feet away from them. "We still have another issue. Bo and Dyson don't remember anything." She whispered to Kenzi.

"One issue at a time."

Bo and Lauren stared at each other for a long moment. Sick dread slithered through Bo's body when screeching tires echoed through the air.

It took several seconds before Bo realized what was happening. "We need to get out of here." She yelled out to them.

Lauren shot Kenzi a glare, her mouth pinched. "Did you have anything to do with this?"

Kenzi snorted and stuffed the key in her pocket. "Don't be ridiculous."

"This is probably going to get ugly." Lauren's eyes veered right, then left, looking for an escape.

Kenzi rolled her eyes. "Doesn't it always."

Time slowed as Bo watched the SUV advance on them, helpless. She didn't have a chance to process any thoughts, because only seconds later, the car accelerated in Lauren and Kenzi's direction. Dyson gripped her hand tightly, holding her back as she tried to sprint forward.

At that same time, with only a half second to react Lauren's hand instinctively went to Kenzi's shoulder, pushing her out of the way right before the car smashed into Lauren's body.

Screaming Lauren's name over and over, Bo shoved a shell-shocked Dyson off her. As she ran to Lauren, her mind raced, replaying the images from the crash. Her breath came in short bursts as she tried to get control over her senses. She climbed over the smash pieces of crumpled metal still calling out Lauren's name. The car's horn blasted as the driver slumped over the steering wheel, unconscious. The area was splattered with blood and broken glass.

Dyson stared dumbly for a long moment before finally running to help her.

When Bo saw Lauren collapsed against the car hood, she felt as if her heart had been ripped from her chest. Her eyes frantically tried to inspect her injuries and find the source of the blood, but tears blurred her vision.

Dyson helped Bo free Lauren, and Bo laid her on the grass as gently as possible.

Bo's knees buckled as an agonizing scream erupted from her. The gut-wrenching cries shook her body. "They killed her." The full weight of the situation slammed into her, and she held Lauren's hand, staring down at her beautiful face. "Lauren." She whispered, imploring her to hear her. "Please." Her lips trembled as tears blazed hot trails down her cheeks.

"Let me examine her," Dyson said, a concerned scowl on his face as his eyes shifted between Bo and Lauren.

Dyson hovered on her side, and she raised her head, trying to steady her shaking voice. "Back off. Don't you touch her." She snapped, scooping Lauren up into her arms.

Gently, she cradled Lauren's broken body in her lap. She lowered her head down to Lauren's chest, and she could hear Lauren's heart beating weakly. Bo wasn't sure how long she had before it gave out completely. Rage rolled off her, making her body tremble.

A memory sliced the moment. "…Honestly, you're the strongest person I've ever met…"

It was the voice of herself from a different time, a different place. She brushed the tangled strands of her bloodied blonde hair from Lauren's face, pressed a kiss to her forehead, and whispered, "Don't you dare die, Lauren. Stay with me. Fight." She stifled a cry.

Lauren shuddered a little in her arms as if her body was struggling to rally, to fight.

Hysteria threatened to burst from Bo. She pressed her face into the side of Lauren's face and rocked them back and forth. "Take me instead. Save her. Take me." Bo pleaded, not knowing who she was calling to. Her brain wasn't able to calm itself long enough for her to think through her words.

Another memory snapped through her. "….I loved you from the second we met…."

Lauren's voice in her memory was like a gentle caress across her mind.

"Bo, I have the key to the portal. We can get you home; it's what Lauren would have wanted." Kenzi's voice sounded distant in Bo's ears, making her words sound far away. They barely penetrated the fog enveloping Bo's mind.

Black spots appeared in Bo's vision, and only the sound of her ragged breathing filled her ears. "This is all my fault; please take me instead…" Her words came out broken through her sobs.

And then everything faded to black.

XXXXX

Bo's eyes snapped opened. Her body was immediately on alert. Even so, she had to blink several times before her mind could accept the sight before her. She was alone on the ground. No Lauren. No Dyson. No Kenzi. No car.

Her gaze slid around her. Where was she? Where was Lauren? She knew she should be afraid, but instead she was saturated with an overwhelming sorrow.

"After everything you've been through, I didn't think you'd give up so easily."

Catching movement out of the corner of her eye, Bo's head jerked to the side. "Who are you?"

A hooded figure came into view above her, looming over her like death. "The question is: who are you?"

Bo wondered if her grief was making her hallucinate. She blinked the tears from her eyes and focused on the figure. "I'm Bo, who the hell are you?"

"And who is the real Bo Dennis?" a familiar female voice asked.

Bo stared at her bloodied hands. "I don't know." She replied weakly.

"Isn't that the real problem?" The figure placed a hand on the top of Bo's head, slowly stroking her hair. "You have to let me free."

With a derisive laugh, Bo looked up at the figure covered in a black hood. "And who are you?"

The woman pulled off the hood, and Bo stared back at herself. "I'm you. Free me, and you can save the one you love. But you are running out of time."

Bo sucked in a breath, and her eyes glistened with tears. "Lauren."

"You can use your power to save Lauren, but you must remember me, remember yourself."

Bo frowned at herself hovering over her, trying to understand what she was telling her. "I don't know how. I don't remember that other world. I don't know you."

"So give up? You'll never succeed if you don't try."

"I have tried, I don't remember," Bo shouted back at herself, suddenly feeling like she'd actually lost her mind. "I'm tired of all this, of all the games."

"So end it. Your connection to your loved ones is the key. Call to your memories, call to Lauren. The only limits in this place exist in your mind. Find the power inside and you can heal her. It's in your nature to protect those you love. That's your motivation, and there's nothing more powerful than that."

With that Bo's other self dissolved in front of her.

Alone, panic threatened to engulf her, and she struggled to reason out what to do, how to free herself. Quickly fear and anger left her and determination built in her chest, not difficult to produce when she thought of Lauren dying.

Something deep inside nagged for attention. Use your power. Instinctively, she reached inside pulling energy into herself. She concentrated on Lauren and felt a hum of power, but no surge. Trust her power. It lived inside her, present even when she couldn't reach it. It had been there all along.

Her mind went into hyper-focus as she fought for control. Her buried instincts rose fast and hard. Urgency mounted, and a wave of energy and emotion opened her mind.

Love. The answer was love. Climbing to her feet, she found her love for Lauren and let it grow, and spread through her body. Listening to the commands inside her, her inner succubus emerged, and her power began to bloom. Her eyes blazed blue, and the world shifted back.

Kenzi and Dyson watched in awe as she silently stalked toward the unconscious driver slumped on the steering wheel. Their voices filled her head, but she blocked it out as she dragged his body from the car. This is for Lauren, she thought as she opened her mouth and pulled all the chi from his body.

With one quick move, she tossed him aside and let him fall limply onto the ground.

Energy coursed through her body as she walked back to Lauren, Dyson and Kenzi's calls went unnoticed by her.

"Lauren," She bent down as she placed her hands on her cheek and lifted her head. She held her breath, staring into the face of the woman she loved. Lauren would survive. There was no other option she would accept.

Power pulsed within her, but somehow she knew it wasn't enough. Realizing she needed more, she slowly lifted her head and looked back and forth between Dyson and Kenzi. "The three of us can save her." She had whispered before she pulled energy from them, adding it to her own.

The looks on their faces were a mixture of shock and horror. Quickly, they crumpled to the ground. The energy in her chest felt like it was about to explode. She took a deep breath. She felt more in control and centered herself on the power tumbling inside.

She lifted Lauren's chin with her fingers; her attention was centered on her. Lauren had fought for her. Fought to save her. She would save her in return. She closed her eyes and pressed their lips together. She channeled everything she could into Lauren, sending her the energy inside her. Lauren's lips twitched against her mouth as her body accepted the chi.

She was healing Lauren.

Saving her.

Turbulent emotions rocked Bo, the connection between them was electric and intense, igniting her entire body. Stripped away of all defenses, shadowy memories of people and events ghosted through her head. She searched her mind and found the buzz of something foreign in the background of her consciousness. She searched until a memory surfaced of Lauren held at knifepoint. She knew instantly that it was Lauren, from the other world. Those memories were hers, and the knowledge bolstered her courage.

Darkness swallowed her mind and then scenes flipped through her head as memories rushed in, overwhelming her. She was a teenager fleeing from her dead boyfriend. Guilt, remorse hit her, and the memories continued to slice at her. She saw herself meeting Kenzi and saving her. The images after being buried so deep assaulted her, as vivid as if they had happened at that moment. She remembered Dyson. Her mother. Trick. All the Fae and dangers she and her friends faced. Normal conversations, friendly banter and a whole myriad of emotions spread through her.

As each memory resurfaced, she could feel a change come over her, and an awareness of herself surfaced.

Another series of memories walloped her, unbidden, accompanied by Lauren's heart-stopping face on the first day they met. "….My god you're beautiful…."

Flashes of images fired rapidly at her. Lauren and her in the lab, at the Dal, at her home. Lauren in her arms in bed. Kissing her, touching her. Stopping with the last image of Lauren kissing her before she entered the Temple.

She felt Lauren's love, and it reflected back to her like two hearts reaching out, and rejoicing in finding one another again. Her body was on overload as all the memories and emotions bombarded her at once.

She was free. Her mind belonged to her again. She was finally the woman she hadn't been for a long, long time.

Her eyes fluttered opened, and she gasped as she saw Lauren, staring back at her.

Lauren brushed her thumb across Bo's face and stared up at her. "Bo? Is that you?"

Bo smiled down at her for a long moment. "Yeah, it's me. I'm back, and so are you. Let's finish this thing and get home."

 **XXXXX**

 **AN**

 **Yay, Bo's back.**

 **Thanks for reading and reviewing.**


	10. Chapter 10

While Dyson and Kenzi slept in the car, still recovering from the loss of Chi, Bo and Lauren sat on the ground beside it discussing the events of her Dawning.

As Bo spoke, Lauren's eyes lifted to the sky. The moon hung over them, large, bright and peaceful. The beauty of the night sky was like a snare, tempting her into complacency. But the world they were in was harsh, wrong and dangerous, nothing like the beauty of the night sky. She couldn't let her guard down for a second if they were going to survive and get home. With the exception of Bo's voice, around them, the vacant world was eerily calm and silent.

Bo's voice broke through her mulling. "Then Dyson kissed me, and told me he got his love back."

Lauren's face revealed a trained calm, an expression akin to the studied detachment she had learned years ago.

"Oh," Lauren rolled her eyes as she picked up a rock and tossed it away. "How lovely, what a great time and place to have that discussion. He was supposed to be helping you, not sidetracking you with relationship drama and kissing you." She wasn't jealous but angry that Dyson would distract Bo during her Dawning when she had needed all her concentration for the challenge ahead of her.

"I think it was because he entered the Temple prepared to die and not return. Maybe he thought it was his only chance to tell me."

Lauren's eyes reflected wariness, perhaps resignation. "Why am I not surprised that you are defending him." She said a little more bite to her tone than Bo deserved. She was just riled and lashing out, irritated by The Temple and the constant struggles before them. And finally, it felt like it was all too much like she couldn't take it anymore like she didn't know how to keep going on.

Unexpectedly, Bo's soft hand settled over Lauren's, encasing it in a caring shell. "So, you are upset that he kissed me?"

Lauren couldn't keep in the snort that was her response. "No, Bo." Her voice was firm as she pulled her hand away from Bo's. "I'm not angry with you. We have more important things to worry about than the love triangle from hell."

Bo exhaled an aggravated breath and studied Lauren. "That's not fair. It's more complicated than that."

"Is it? Is it really?" Lauren asked, but didn't allow Bo to respond before she added. "But it doesn't matter right now. We need to focus on getting out of here not our personal lives. We can't let anything get in our way."

Bo looked Lauren over. There was apprehension in Bo's eyes. "I understand what you're saying. But Lauren, I love you. You do know that, right?"

"We need to get you home. It's why I'm here." After a moment of silence, Lauren hauled herself up too quickly. "Tell me what else happened."

Bo looked up at Lauren and told her all the remaining details that she could remember.

"…And I couldn't leave Dyson. So, I tried to take him with me. He didn't deserve to die for helping me." As Bo finished, she stood and walked over to Lauren.

"Well, I don't think any of that helps us. We already suspected you broke the rules, setting this whole thing off."

Bo pulled Lauren into a hug, gathering her close. At first Lauren's body, was stiff and unresponsive, but Bo held her until she relaxed against her and rested her head against her shoulder. "I'm sorry you were alone here in this bizarre world." She frowned and inhaled. "It must have been confusing and upsetting."

Lauren was silent a minute, and then she stepped away from Bo. "I'm okay. Truly. I'm relieved you're back." She glanced up at the sky as the first signs of sunlight broke through. "We should get going."

Bo grabbed her hand and made her face her. Lightly, she ran a thumb over Lauren's knuckles. Frustration surged at Bo's inability to pinpoint what was upsetting Lauren. Something seemed to have shifted between them, or maybe she was just more aware of it at that moment. "Talk to me. We have to tell each other the little things, and the big stuff. If we don't, we're just going to end up hurting each other."

Lauren hesitated, staring down at their linked hands. "It's been a strange last few weeks, and I'm exhausted. Maybe I'm sort of in shock over everything…" She glanced up to look at Bo, sadness glinting in her eyes.

It was demoralizing, the way Lauren spoke and looked, but Bo recovered quickly and said. "When we get home things will be different. I haven't been the best girlfriend, but you're important to me, and I want to show you that, okay? I'll make it all up to you, I promise." The words slid out in a whisper and regret collected in her heart. "We're going to make it."

Lauren nodded, and for a second she wished things could be that simple between them, but she knew differently. She looked away staring up at the sky again as if searching for answers there. She didn't have the same kind of blind faith as Bo, that they would both make it home, but she hoped she was right. She desperately wanted to make sense of the Caretaker's words about a choice Bo would face. But she wasn't sure she could believe anything. She didn't have substantial evidence to believe or not believe him.

Bo's heart longed with the desire to turn the moment into something more, to reach Lauren. All the complications from their world seemed so distant to her, too far away, but that didn't mean it was all gone. "I never want you to think I settled for you, Lauren. You're the person I want, and I'm done taking you for granted. I'm not giving up on us. You helped me remember myself. Our love did that. It was my anchor." Her voice cracked under the weight of her words.

Instead of replying to Bo, Lauren leaned into her, their foreheads touching, their noses brushing against each other. They lapsed into silence. It wasn't uncomfortable just loaded. Lauren wanted to remember what they were like together, right then. Everything that had tried to stand between them, everything they were still facing didn't matter. And yet, it did.

Lauren's eyes held Bo's, questions tumbling behind her sharp gaze. "We still don't know if that's the real Kenzi." She said, prompting a change of topic.

"It's her. I felt it in her chi." Bo reassured her with a gentle smile.

"That's good to know, one less thing to worry about, and focus on. We should wake them up and go. We're always within reach of the Caretaker, even now. We don't know what they'll do next." Lauren said, reminding Bo of what they were facing. They had no idea what they were doing, really, and it was a miracle they'd made it that far. They didn't encounter anyone since the accident, but it was hard for Lauren to believe that wasn't going to change. And change soon.

XXXXX

"How are you feeling?" Bo asked, regarding Kenzi with care and concern.

"I'm sore everywhere, and my teeth hurt. I feel like my chi was just sucked dry. It was like some kind of weird succubus foursome that I never wanted to be a part of, or think about."

Kenzi's humor fell flat, smothered by the built up tension of the recent events. Bo didn't have the patience for Kenzi's jokes. "Sorry, but the idea of Lauren dying didn't appeal to me all that much."

"I was joking to lighten the mood; it's kind of my thing." Kenzi patted Bo's shoulder.

"Let's save the jokes for later. It's Lauren's life we are talking about."

"A family that shares chi together stays together. We're good here. Lauren saved my butt, so I don't mind returning the favor."

Lauren walked by and exchanged a quick glance with Bo before she crouched on the ground with a map spread out in front of her.

Kenzi ran her eyes back and forth between them. "Trouble in paradise?"

Bo grunted and glanced at Lauren. "It's nothing." She said, not really knowing if it was true or not. Something seemed to be plaguing Lauren, but as far as she was concerned being together was all that mattered. They could work out all the rest later.

"How did you get here anyway?"

"After Trick sent Lauren in and she didn't come back, he started to get worried. He wanted a backup in here, in case, something happened to her. Eventually, he found out about the key and discovered another way in, a back way. Basically, he snuck me in, like a ninja attack." She frowned as something occurred to her. Something she should have thought of before. "Maybe that's why I kept my memories and didn't get pulled into Bizarro World."

Bo let that sink in. She seemed to be in even more over her head than usual. In this strange world nothing made much sense, but at least she wasn't alone. Her friends and her girlfriend were the only things that made sense anymore. For a second, she reflected on how lucky she was to have so many people that cared about her enough to risk their lives for her. She took a deep breath, vowing not to let anything happen to any of them. It was her responsibility to get them all home safely, and that's what she was going to do.

"Here," Kenzi pulled the key, which was secured on a necklace, from her pocket and handed it to Bo.

Dyson exited the car and hovered over Lauren with his hands on his hips. "Is anyone going to tell me what happened back there?"

Kenzi shrugged and waved her hand at the group. "We bonded over a little group chi suck action, it happens."

"And what is a chi suck?" Dyson cut in, irritated, and then pointed to Lauren. "And how in the hell did you heal all your injuries?"

No one acknowledged Dyson's question. Lauren continued staring at the map as if she were staring at a chessboard with no idea where to move next.

He pinned Kenzi and then Lauren with a stare, the grooves beside his lips deepened. "I want an explanation right now. I need to know what's going on. All of it."

Kenzi decided it was better to put it all out there, and explained with the short version. "You're a wolf shifter from another reality. We're trapped here, and we're trying to get home. Bo's a succubus, Lauren's a doctor, and I'm Kenzi, the fabulous human sidekick."

Kenzi's words hung in a beat of silence. Horror covered Dyson's face, and his mouth fell open. He wasn't sure what she was on, or if she was just crazy. He questioned her frame of mind and doubted they could trust her.

Bo turned to Dyson and offered him a quick smile. "She's telling the truth." She said but didn't elaborate more. Her eyes pivoted to Lauren, who had her head down. She suddenly had a greater understanding of how frustrating it must have been for Lauren to deal with her without her memories. And she knew it couldn't have been easy for her.

A crimson blush crawled up Dyson's neck as his temper flared. "You seriously expect me to believe that?" He grabbed Bo's shoulders and pulled her near. "They're crazy, and they've done something to you. Why do you believe them over me?" He snarled under his breath as he looked down at Lauren.

Dyson's obvious jealousy and denial annoyed Bo, and she jerked away from his grip. She shifted her eyes to Lauren and stared for a second. "Well, the evidence of Lauren's healed injuries says otherwise."

"Yikes, Bizarro Dyson is kind of a dickwad," Kenzi whispered to Lauren.

Lauren couldn't help but laugh at that because it was true. This Dyson seemed to be stripped away of any likable qualities. She stood and carefully folded up the map. "I think one of us should scout ahead and see what we're facing. It's a small hike; it shouldn't take long."

"It's too dangerous, Bo. Give this up now." Dyson hissed the words, thick with exasperation. "This is a manipulation of some kind."

The desire to do something, to use her pent up energy brewed inside Bo. She couldn't keep waiting. She had to do something. She hated how helpless she felt. "I'll go."

"Bo," The name came out as a part sigh, part growl from Dyson.

"Calm down," Kenzi placed herself between Bo and Dyson. "I'll go with her. I know this area better than anyone. I've been running around here for days looking for that stupid key."

"Well, excuse me for not trusting you. I don't' know you." Dyson's words were harsh and bitter. "Bo, you can't trust them!"

"Dyson it's fine." Bo snapped, her voice rose in aggravation. "We can't really afford to wait any longer."

Dyson and Bo continued arguing about it, but Kenzi had enough. "We'll all go."

Bo opened her mouth to offer her opinion, but then she stopped and looked at Lauren. She glanced back at Bo. "No, I have to look over my supplies. Whatever we're facing, we'll need to be prepared."

Bo took a deep breath because she didn't want to leave Lauren alone. But she knew she was right. "Dyson stay here with Lauren." She gave Dyson a stern look.

Dyson's expression turned sour, revealing his disappointment and anger. But Bo's tone warned him not to argue, so he didn't.

Lauren handed Bo the map, and Bo's voice dropped to a whisper. "We'll be back soon, and then we'll come up with a plan." Her fingers grazed Lauren's hand, lingering. She needed to feel the connection between them and to know she was there with her.

"I'll be waiting," Lauren smiled, and it reached her eyes, and squeezed Bo's hand back. Bo felt that the tension from before was gone, or maybe it was just buried underneath the moment. She tried not to think about it too hard.

Dyson swore under his breath, as he paced and watched Bo and Lauren. They were too close, too intimate for his liking. The way Bo was looking at Lauren made his blood boil.

Bo and Lauren stood for a while, just clutching each other, as if any movement, any shift would sever their connection. Finally, Dyson cleared his throat, and Bo stepped away and focused on the task ahead of her. She zipped up her jacket and turned to go while Kenzi joined her at her side.

Lauren spoke halting Bo's movement. "Be careful." She said in a strained voice.

XXXXX

Lauren's ever-watchful gaze looked everywhere around her as she waited for Bo and Kenzi to return.

"If something happens to Bo, that is on you."

Dyson's voice sounded from behind Lauren. She turned to face him; he stood in a threatening stance with a gun aimed at her. He had apparently lost his mind.

Lauren's hands clenched at her side, her chest heaved. "Are you really going to shoot me, Dyson?"

"I…" His voice broke, and he stared at the gun in his hand for several seconds. "I can't let anything happen to Bo."

Lauren's eyes locked with Dyson's, a yellow glow surrounded his pupils; maybe he was revealing his inner wolf. He looked wild and dangerous before he broke contact and turned away but he didn't lower the gun.

Her whole body was tensed, and ready to react. "I'm not hurting Bo."

"You are!" He yelled loudly and clenched the weapon tighter.

Lauren kept her face blank as she took a small step toward him. "That gun's not even loaded." She pointed out, and then smirked.

Dyson already knew that. He shifted his weight and let his fingers uncurl as Lauren took the gun from his hand.

Lauren secured the gun on her hip as her anger flared, fury consuming her thoughts. She looked at him, not hiding any of her anger.

"I wasn't going to shoot you." He said, his tone snide, as he cast his eyes down.

In a split second, Lauren's temper heated, blinding her. She hauled her hand back and punched Dyson in the face. Hard. He staggered backward from shock and landed on his knees. He stared at her paralyzed for a moment, with his mouth ajar.

His nose began to bleed almost immediately, and for a brief second, Lauren felt bad for hitting him. But then she remembered he had just pointed a gun at her, and it made her want to punch him again, and again. He deserved that.

Lauren clenched her fist, then spread out her fingers, then clenched them again. "I know we have our differences, but we want the same things, to keep Bo safe. We both love her."

"I love her!" He shouted into the wind and wiped the blood from his nose. "I can't believe you hit me."

Lauren sat next to Dyson, her elbows propped on her knees. "You had it coming." She cast him a sidelong glance. "Something isn't right about this place; this isn't you. They're definitely playing mind games with us, with you."

Dyson stared at the blood on his fingers, and his bruised knuckles. "I don't understand what I'm doing. It's like I'm not in control of my emotions."

For a second Lauren just stared at him. She wasn't sure what he wanted from her. "No matter what this world has made you believe, there's no changing who you are on the inside. Deep down you know who you are." It wasn't a great pep talk, but she was still annoyed and angry with him.

Dyson took several deep breaths, a tortured, conflicted look on his face. "Why doesn't Bo love me? Whatever pull we had to each other, it's gone, at least on her side." His words came out in a labored whine.

Neither said anything. This place was affecting Dyson, making him paranoid, delusional, unstable. Despite how much she hated this Dyson, part of her felt sorry for him. She couldn't blame him for his feelings and actions even though she wanted to.

Her shoulders relaxed, and she took in a shaky breath. "I don't know if Bo ever truly knows what she wants, or who she loves. Whatever she feels it's complicated. Maybe she thinks she can have us both, but in different ways." Lauren said, saying the words out loud broke her heart. She knew Bo loved her; she loved them all, but that small voice in the back of her mind whispered that maybe Bo didn't know what she wanted. "But we don't have to be enemies because we love the same woman. Tentative allies are how we work best together. We all have to work as a team, especially now."

He released an anguished cry. "I can't lose her." He sighed and dropped his head. "I just know I'm going to lose her. I feel it inside." His voice was raw with sorrow.

Even though she understood that Dyson wasn't himself, she felt the urge to hit him again. Slap some sense into him. "Dyson, you already lost her. Your memories aren't real. That Bo you remember isn't real. None of this is real. You have to let her go because deep down you know none of this is right."

"I can't!"

Lauren pushed to her feet and backed away from him to avoid throttling him. She couldn't keep the anger from her voice. "So, is it better to have a fake Bo, than nothing? That's not love, Dyson, that's obsession. In our world, in this world, that's not healthy."

Dyson avoided looking at Lauren for a moment. "Sometimes, I wish she never met you. It could have all been so different, you know…" He trailed off, and resignation was written across his face as he finally gazed at Lauren. "But I can trust you to do the right thing with Bo."

"Well, if you ever point a gun at me again, I'll shoot you first." Lauren's voice was so cold, she barely recognized herself. If a tone of voice could kill, Dyson would have been dead where he stood.

XXXXX

"We have a problem." Bo and Kenzi appeared behind them, out of breath with worried expressions. "They know where we are going. Grimley's surrounded."

Eager to focus on a plan, Lauren said. "We need to come up with a strategy. If there are too many to fight, we'll need a distraction." She crouched down and dug through her ammo-filled duffel bag. "A little chaos always helps." Quickly, she tried to make a plan with what she could scrape together from the weapons in her bag.

Bo squatted down next to Lauren. "What are you looking for?"

"I don't know. Anything to help us." Bo stared at Lauren, expectantly, so she added. "I might be able to make another bomb out of some of this."

"Can you do that with what you have?" Kenzi asked her eyes lingering on Dyson's bruised face, but she didn't comment on it.

"It's going to be difficult. But not impossible." There was no real way to prepare for such things, but that didn't mean Lauren couldn't try.

Kenzi looked impressed, and in a cheerful tone said, "Damn, Lauren. You are like a much hotter, female MacGyver or something."

As the quiet stretched out, Bo could feel the hair on the back of her neck standing on end, and a shiver ran through her. She glanced away from Lauren in the opposite direction. "Oh, shit."

The three of them looked at Bo, and then their heads whipped in the direction she was looking.

The Caretaker ambled out towards them at a leisurely pace, and in unison, Bo and Lauren climbed to their feet.

Lauren reached for the gun tucked into the waistband of her jeans and aimed it at him. Lauren's gaze flickered to Bo, her eyebrows knitting together, and Bo saw dread in her eyes.

Dyson froze with his eyes on Bo, his fear turning him to stone and rendering him mute.

"Your gun can't hurt me," The Caretaker laughed and leaned against the car, crossing his feet at the ankle. "Two humans in my realm, that is unacceptable. You are messing with my game."

"Whatever gramps," Kenzi said, forcing disinterest as she picked at her fingernail. She was struggling to make light of the situation.

"It's adorable that the four of you thought you could get away. As interesting, and inspiring as your journey has been, you can't escape this place. The game has been fun but now I'm uninterested." He spread his arms wide. "Let's shake things up."

Until that moment, Bo hadn't been afraid of the Caretaker. Now she realized she had been naïve. "Why don't you just kill us?" She demanded as she advanced a step on him. "Why are you playing with us?"

"Why bother killing you? You are already dead." He locked his eyes on Lauren for a long, drawn-out second. "At least one of you, right Dr. Lewis?" He darted his eyes around the group. "The wolf and the sidekick need to go. You bore me, and you are interfering with my game. Time to change the rules and finish this Dawning or game, whatever you want to call it."

Bo's head turned slowly as a portal shimmered into existence. The Caretaker clapped his hands, and it engulfed Dyson and Kenzi. They had vanished before Bo had time to react. They just disappeared, and she had been powerless to stop it.

He regarded Bo coolly, his dark eyes moving over hers. "That's better."

"Where did you send them?" Bo tightly clutched her fists and advanced on him. "What's going on?"

"Just getting rid of the dead weight. Those two are so annoying I cannot take it anymore." He pressed his fingers into his temples. "One never stops whining, and the other never stops with the snark. The two of you are the real prize in this game."

For a second, they thought he might do something else. Instead, he pushed off the car and shoved his hands in his pockets. "Anyway, good luck, I can't wait to see what happens next in this little game of ours. Tick tock, Lauren, tick tock."

As he disappeared down the street, Bo snapped her head to look at Lauren. "What is going on?"

Lauren took a deep breath, and a short laugh escaped her mouth. The hits just kept coming and coming. "This place is just playing mind games with us. We can't believe anything he says." She rubbed a shaky hand over her neck.

"Lauren." Bo pressed, her eyes hardened and narrowed on Lauren.

"I don't know," Lauren said, and sighed, her shoulders slumped. "We keep going. That's all we can do."

"But what about Dyson and Kenzi?" Bo cast her eyes at the spot where the portal had appeared, and idly her fingers caressed the key around her neck, which Kenzi had given her. The enormity of losing Dyson and Kenzi twisted in her chest. "We have to figure out where he sent them."

"We'll get them back. We'll take this place down together." Lauren managed a weak smile. She pressed her hand to Bo's chest, feeling the softness beneath her palm, and brought her lips to Bo's. The kiss was a slow, deliberate exploration of Bo's lips. She didn't have any real answers for Bo, and at that moment, she just wanted to give her a small comfort.

Bo's eyes closed, her brows joined tightly as she kissed Lauren back. She wondered where her friends were, what waited for them on their journey and if there were truly an escape from this nightmare. Fear was trying to take over, whispering malicious words in her mind about Lauren's safety. But she couldn't listen, wouldn't listen because Lauren was right there with her.

 _XXXXX_

 _Some time before…._

" _Lauren, you look hilarious with those electrodes stuck to your head." Kenzi said through a laugh._

 _Lauren rolled her eyes at Kenzi, and looked up at Trick, who was looming over her. "How do we know this will work?"_

" _We don't, we're going in blind here. And we don't know what will happen when you get in there." Trick's eyes softened and he smiled. "Just close your eyes."_

 _Kenzi placed a light hand on Lauren's shoulder. "Good luck. Tell Bo I love her."_

 _Lauren nodded, and took one last look around the Dal. "I will." She closed her eyes, and waited._

 _In what seemed like a second Lauren's eyes cracked open, and tried to adjust to the dark room. She was inside and alone, that was obvious. But she didn't know where. It took several attempts for her to get up onto her feet. When she did, her body wavered. She closed her eyes and pulled in a deep breath._

" _Brave but foolish. You should not have entered my reality."_

 _Lauren didn't answer, but her heart turned to ice, cold with trepidation. Lauren looked around. She wished her brain could calm enough to figure out what was happening. She had to get out of there. She had to figure out how to save Bo._

" _Your presence here is certainly unique."_

" _What do you want with me?" Lauren asked, because she was ready for him to cut to the chase._

" _We had wanted to long drawn out torture for Bo, for our revenge, but, instead, I think I'll play a little game now that you are here."_

 _Lauren could sense great power in him. It was a different kind of power than the Fae she'd known. "Game?" She asked, trying to digest what was happening._

" _Oh, yes just a simple little game. To keep things interesting. For my amusement."_

 _Lauren's eyes widened. "And if I don't agree."_

 _He laughed, but it was cold. "Then you can't enter my realm."_

" _What are the terms?" She asked, her eyes skimmed over him, assessing him. She could tell he enjoyed toying with her, and it sickened her._

" _To up the stakes I will create a world for the three of you with false memories. One much like the wolf created before, but with you here it will be slightly different."_

 _Lauren didn't trust him. Didn't trust the smile spreading on his face or the look in his eye. He was a monster that was clear._

" _You're crazy." She said and frowned, still trying to come to terms with the bizarre turn of events. "No deal."_

" _Suit yourself. But if you don't agree to this game I can just continue torturing Bo. As we speak Bo is suffering worst nightmares than your human mind can imagine. If you comply you can avoid her suffering for a while."_

 _Thoughts of Bo's misery and her fighting for her life crowded Lauren's mind. Her heart raced at what she imagined. "How do I get Bo back?"_

 _His dark eyes narrowed and Lauren sensed the rise in his impatience. "If I bring you into my game I need collateral. I need a sacrifice." He replied in a venomous tone._

" _What kind of sacrifice?"_

" _Lauren, you're not that simpleminded. You know. A life is the ultimate sacrifice, isn't it?" He paused, and advanced a step. "We need a soul in this realm, or the reality crumples. You or Bo must stay." He shrugged. "Or both. But you can't both leave. One must stay, forever."_

 _There was a look in his eyes, dark and deadly, that told her not to refuse him. He had a motive for offering her this deal, but she had her own motives too. Getting Bo out. "Anything else."_

" _Oh no, I'm not going to give the whole game away."_

 _Lauren studied him. Yes, he was powerful, but he suffered from overconfidence, which she knew she would be able to use against him. "I'll agree with one condition."_

 _His eyebrows rose in surprise. "You aren't in a position to demand any terms."_

" _I want to keep my memories. I need a way to reach Bo."_

 _He thought for a long moment, his eyes holding steady on her. "No, but I will provide you with clues to push the game along, otherwise, it might never end."_

" _I want this clarified. There are three of us and only two can leave. One must stay."_

" _No. The wolf is not important. Bo broke our rules. And now you've entered this reality uninvited and broken our rules. There has to be consequences for such defiance. I've grown weary of mortals thinking the rules don't apply to them."_

" _Why not just keep us all here, why the game? Why go to these lengths for a stupid game? What do you hope to achieve?"_

" _Boredom, but also no matter the outcome Bo's suffering will increase. If you stay, she'll forever know that her decision doomed you. And if she stays we still get the pleasure of keeping her at our mercy. It's win, win for us."_

 _If her sacrifice could save Bo, it was worth it. She had to put aside her fear and think of the good of the world. And Bo was important to the world. "No game then, I offer my life in Bo's place. Let her go."_

" _No. I want to watch this unfold. I want my game."_

 _Lauren's eyebrow furrowed as her mouth tightened._

" _It is time. Are you ready?"_

 _Lauren met his eyes and gave a quick nod._

" _One more thing, you will have no memory of this conversation. And I will come to you several times during the game. For fun."_

 _And then a bright flash blinded her._

 _Lauren looked down at her uniform and then at Bo._

" _Are you ready, partner?" Bo asked securing her weapon in the holster._

" _Yes." Lauren answered, following Bo out of the station._

 **XXXX**

 **AN**

 **I hope the last scene wasn't confusing, it was the scene of Lauren entering the reality, and hopefully it answered some questions.**

 **Thanks for reading and reviewing.**


	11. Chapter 11

Trick came barreling into the room, eyes blazing with uneasiness.

The second Kenzi and Dyson saw him they sprung to their feet, hoping he had news for them.

Trick crossed his arms and took several seconds before he explained, "It seems our link to that reality is corrupted. Our ability to travel between this reality and the other is blocked. We have no way back in." He paused to glance around at Dyson and Kenzi. "All of which means we'll have to wait for them to come out from inside."

Dyson's mind whirled. They had no way to get to Bo. It sparked every aggressive nerve inside him. Someone had seized him, taken him from her. She was completely and utterly beyond his reach, and there was nothing he could do about it. How had he let this happen?

"We have to do something!" Dyson shouted, running his fingers through his hair. "Why would he cast us out?"

"I'm not sure." Trick answered honestly.

Dyson grew quiet with worry. His energy deflated as he sank onto a barstool. Why would the Caretaker keep Lauren and not him, it didn't make sense.

"Why don't you use your blood magic, bring them back?" Kenzi glanced between them. "I can't be the only one whose thinking that, right? Pop a vein, Trick, bring back our girls."

Trick sighed, and chose his words carefully. "We're not there, yet. Using that magic always comes with a terrible price, conjures a lot of bad energy. My power may not even reach inside that reality."

Kenzi scoffed with an eye roll, earning glares from Dyson and Trick. Despite the looks from them, Kenzi pressed the issue. "So, in other words, you sit around doing nothing?" She found Trick's reluctance to help unbelievably selfish. Self-preservation seemed always to be his strongest motivating factor.

"Kenzi." Trick scolded with a tight frown. "You have no idea the ramifications of such actions."

Kenzi did understand that there would be consequences but decided not to argue back. "Fine, whatever. So, what do we do next?" She asked, draining the coffee cup, the caffeine hit her system, giving it a boost of energy she didn't need. She was already on edge worrying about Bo and Lauren.

"It's not optimal, but we hold the line here. Bo will come out of this, and she is going to need us to be strong for her when she comes back-"

"But what if she doesn't…" The words died on Dyson's lips as the enormity of that started to sink in further.

"No doubts. I have faith in Bo."

Kenzi cut in with a bitter sounding snort. "What about Lauren? She risked her life for Bo. She's still in there…"

Trick waved a hand at Kenzi to stop her. "Of course, Lauren as well. We'll be here for both of them."

"So, it's a waiting game? Is that what you're saying? We have no clue if they'll make it out alive or at all?"

Trick clasped Dyson's shoulder, squeezing hard. "Listen to me, Dyson. Bo's strong she'll come back."

"And Lauren," Kenzi interjected impatiently, holding up her cup in between them. "Don't forget about us, humans."

Trick gave Kenzi a small smile and nodded, and then turned back to Dyson. "I know you're worried. Just trust me. I don't like this any more than you do. She'll…um, they'll return to us. They have the key, which is the important part, all they have to do is find the portal out. Given the situation, that's the best news we could have hoped for."

Dyson pinched the bridge of his nose, attempting to shake off his anxiety. He needed to stay optimistic, to trust Trick. "Sorry, I don't mean to sound defeatist. I feel like we're blind and helpless here."

Growing impatient and annoyed with them, Kenzi blew out a breath. "It doesn't seem right."

Dyson turned away from Trick to Kenzi. "What doesn't?"

"This," She flipped her hand around her. "It feels wrong hanging out here, at the Dal, after everything." She marched forward away from them. "I'm going home."

XXXXX

"Lauren." Bo reached out, hoping to slow Lauren down, but Lauren kept walking down the rutted dirt road. They were headed to Bo's adoptive mother's house, and Lauren was determined to make good time getting there.

They couldn't afford any more delays, not when they were so close, almost there. Together they had cleared out the path into Grimley, but the threats were still out there, the danger seemed to be right on their heels. The road was destroyed forcing them to walk, and there was little natural cover around them, all signs pointed to the entire town being deserted, and she didn't like remaining out in the open, like moving targets.

Bo picked up her pace to match Lauren's. "What's wrong?"

Lauren's gaze surveyed their surroundings before briefly landing on Bo. "We have a lot of ground to cover on foot. We need to hurry." She said her voice filled with urgency. She strained to hear any sounds around them but was met with silence, which unnerved her. Still, she had to nudge aside her apprehension and keep them moving.

They walked in silence, traveling another block until Bo spoke. "Well, I was thinking about the future, about home. I thought when we put all this behind us maybe we should take a vacation together." She knew she shouldn't be talking about that then, but she just couldn't stop herself. She wanted to mend their relationship, erase the distance she could feel between them. Set them on a course that would solidify their future together.

Without responding, Lauren frowned, and adjusted the backpack slung over her shoulders.

Bo walked fast next to Lauren, wishing she'd look at her, hoping she'd say something. Even if only to tell her she was being silly. What she couldn't stand was the absolute silence. She lightly held onto Lauren's forearm, the slight pressure halting Lauren's steps. "For a couple of days, just us."

Lauren's eyes searched Bo's face, studying her closely. "I think that'd be great." She started walking again. "But we need a concrete plan of what we're going to do now."

Thoughts of what they would do at home danced through Bo's mind. But then reality cropped up, knocking her back to what was happening in the present. The reason they were trapped, losing Kenzi and Dyson, the dangers they were still facing. Lauren was right they needed to focus.

A gust of wind swept up dirt around them, obscuring their vision. When it cleared, Lauren cupped her hand to her brow and glanced all around them, and then asked Bo. "Does anything around here look remotely the same from our world?" Her gaze traveled from the landscape ahead of them to Bo's face.

Bo looked around the once rich countryside it was dusty, desolate with no signs of flowers or life of any kind. Everything was so bleak, so foreboding in both feel and appearance, so contrary to her memories. "All of this, everything around us it's different, changed. This isn't where I grew up. It's like a whole different world." Absently, she clasped the key around her neck.

They continued walking, journeying two more blocks, before crossing the street at a corner.

Lauren's eyes narrowed at the road, thinking, weighing. Suddenly she got a whole new idea, though, she wasn't sure how to approach it. "Maybe we're going about this backward," She said, turning to face Bo.

"What do you mean?" Bo questioned, stopping in the middle of the street. The distant sound of crickets and the rustle of the wind filled the air around her while she waited for Lauren to explain.

"I mean, it's just a thought," Lauren's voice was quiet against the rustle of the wind, so she took another step closer to Bo with her gaze fixed on hers. "But maybe we should focus on the Caretaker."

"I don't know," Bo said, her voice tight, thick with unease and concern. She didn't want to risk him taking Lauren from her, like her friends.

"We need to make him talk. Tell us what happened to Dyson and Kenzi, and the truth about how to leave."

Torn between an overwhelming need to know the fate of her friends, and the need to keep the Caretaker away from Lauren, Bo questioned what to do. But she pushed down her concerns long enough to ask, "But how do we get to him?"

Lauren walked forward again, her stride quick and purposeful, her gaze focused straight ahead. "He has come to me several times and offered me a deal. What if we call to him…"

"What deal?" Bo interrupted with a pointed look, almost running to keep up with Lauren.

"Various things," Lauren answered, her voice drifted from ahead of Bo as she picked up her gait. "Not everything is black and white here."

Bo trudged up to Lauren's side and stared at her, waiting for more, but she just kept walking.

"Would you care to elaborate on that, or are you being purposely vague?" Bo shook her head quickly, "Well?" She demanded, refusing to move on until Lauren provided an answer.

"It's not as easy to answer that as you think," Lauren said, maybe a little too defensively. She sighed, Bo caught Lauren's gaze, noting the solemn expression clouding her face. "Much of what he's told me is a lie, probably to psych me out and screw with my concentration."

An exaggerated sigh heaved Bo's chest.

Lauren turned her head to glance at Bo before her gaze shifted back to the road ahead, but it was long enough for her to see the frustration on Bo's face. She was concerned. Uncertain. "When the rules are broken, someone must pay the price."

"What?" Bo asked, somewhat bewildered.

"I've gone over his words countless times, and that's all I can really glean from his ramblings." Her voice hitched slightly before she continued. "The Caretaker holds all the cards right now, and we are stuck playing his game. We have to be prepared for anything."

"Well, I say screw 'em. I refuse to be punished for saving my life and Dyson's life. That's madness." Bo smiled at Lauren. "There's always a way around the rules." She said, rock solid in her conviction. "A loophole." She gently squeezed Lauren's fingertips. "No megalomaniac is going to control my destiny, control my life."

"We can't do anything reckless, Bo," Lauren warned with a pleading look.

"Who me? Reckless?" Bo laughed that off, her arm coming around to wrap around Lauren's shoulder.

Putting on her game face, Bo walked with determination toward her childhood home. She was the one who caused this situation. She was the one who got them into this mess. And she would be the one to get them both out.

XXXXX

They stopped in front of Bo's old home, pausing to search for any signs of activity. Seeing nothing, they walked across the yard to the front door. The lawn once so green and verdant was now a scorched patchwork of browns, the house a mere skeleton of its former self. It was the opposite of everything Bo remembered.

The door was unlocked, catching them by surprise. An unsettled feeling stayed with them as they crept into the house.

They had no idea what they would find, but they didn't expect it to be empty. Everything was gone, the furniture, pictures, every single item.

Slowly, Bo sauntered around the empty house. It was jarring to see how things had changed in this reality. She searched in vain for anything that might give them a clue about the portal, or somewhere to use her key.

Bo's eyes followed Lauren as she roamed the empty house, back turned away from her. "You're always so tight-lipped about your past, where you came from, your family," Bo commented to Lauren. Being back there had sparked memories of her childhood, making her realize she knew very little about Lauren's past.

Lauren pressed her lips together for a moment before turning to face Bo. "It all happened so long ago; it's not easy to talk about, and I have a lot of regrets." She started to explain that the past held far too many bad, haunting memories, and that it wasn't the time to talk about it. But instead, she said. "You can't change the past, but all our actions, good or bad, have brought us to this point. Most of what is learned in life comes from our mistakes."

Bo studied her face. There was no self-pity in her expression, only contemplation. Finally, Bo nodded her understanding, having no intention of pushing it. "I get that." She whispered, falling silent for a few moments before asking. "Did your life turn out how you expected it to?"

Lauren laughed a little at that, and glanced at the floor. "No, I never imagined living with the Fae, or having a succubus for a girlfriend."

Bo matched Lauren's laugh, realizing her question had been a little silly. "Yeah, I guess not." Bo looked around the room, imagining what used to be in place of the emptiness. "Despite all the bad, Beth had some good memories here, and I'm glad I was raised, human. I mean, yeah, a lot of it was painful, but in the end, it all shaped me into the person I am now."

Lauren saw sadness in Bo's eyes and recognized her pain all too well. The scars of the past could never be erased or undone. True, it lessened with time, but a part of the pain always stayed. "Things are rarely all good or all bad all the time. And some might say that a person can never truly know themselves until they are faced with hardship, with adversity."

Images and memories skated across Bo's mind, making her introspective. "It's weird being back here. Like, sometimes, I think about the duality I carry within me, the humanity and the succubus. Sometimes, I wonder if I can ever completely balance both parts of myself. Find peace."

Lauren's heart caught in her chest at Bo's confession. "I think balance comes with trust in yourself. You may always be torn between holding onto your humanity or letting go all together but with the willingness to accept both sides of your nature, an equilibrium can emerge." She reached out and caressed along Bo's arm. The gesture was accompanied with a warm smile.

Bo ran a finger along the wall in the living room. "I guess the Caretaker didn't bother to create a Mary for this world." She glanced at Lauren with a sad smile. "I was happy I was able to see her one last time and not worry about holding back all my emotions."

Lauren took Bo's hand and guided her into a hug. "I'm glad you were able to find some peace with your mother, Bo." She whispered into her ear, and then kissed her cheek softly.

In silence, Bo led Lauren into the kitchen. Everything was ripped out, like the rest of the house. Bo detected the faint smell of mold as she inspected the room, finding nothing. All her senses were on alert and the vibe inside the house was nothing short of creepy. She crept over to a window cautiously, unsure of what she might find and peered out. The yard matched the front, colorless, empty. For a moment, Bo retreated into herself. Her emotions and thoughts conflicted.

Lauren rubbed her hands down her face, and paced, trying to solve the perplexing conundrums they were facing. She stopped and swept her eyes around them when she had a thought. "Perhaps that's why this place is so different, so barren, so empty." She guessed, still working through her thoughts.

Bo whirled around from the window to face Lauren. "What do you mean?" She frowned in thought, unsure where Lauren was going with that.

"Well, to enter the Temple you came home to make peace with your past, with your adoptive mother, so this place doesn't really exist to you anymore. You've moved on from that pain in your past, and conceivably that's why Grimley doesn't manifest in this world."

"Is that important?" Bo asked, not realizing she'd been holding her breath while Lauren spoke. She had been readying herself for more confusing surprises.

"Could be. Honestly, I can only guess about most of it." Lauren looked away, determined to absorb everything, to take it all in. Both Nadia and Kyle showed up in this world, both people Bo killed, neither, of which were her fault, but both deaths would have caused her some guilt. She would still feel responsible even though she'd had no real choice in the matter. She sifted through her memories. Trying to dredge up something she might have forgotten or overlooked.

"Maybe that's what I've missed all along," Lauren said out loud to herself. "I think the portal might be connected to something in your subconscious, something that still haunts you…something you still feel guilty about…"

"I've made a lot of mistakes. This might take a while to figure out."

"It's like this whole place is a reflection of you like you're connected to its very existence." Lauren pondered out loud, drumming her fingers on her hip. She stared at the empty room as though she expected something new to appear at her words.

Bo fastened her lips together and swallowed a sigh. Not wanting Lauren to know how lost she was starting to feel. She was determined to hide any worries or doubt that plagued her. "So, we wasted our time coming here." She asked, in need of Lauren's reassurance at that moment.

Lauren's eyes shifted to Bo, her soft gaze appraised her, for a flash she looked weary and somber, but quickly it disappeared. "Possibly, but assuming I'm correct, every bit of information we get helps us figure out our next move."

XXXXX

After an hour of searching the house and discussing where to go next, Bo sighed from exhaustion, sitting on the floor, and leaned back against the wall. She closed her eyes and let her mind drift while her fingers played with the key around her neck. She had a lifetime of things to feel remorseful about and figuring out one thing wasn't going to be an easy task.

"Maybe we should go to the site where…" Lauren frowned and hesitated, feeling bad about bringing up an unpleasant memory. "I mean where you and Kyle…"

Bo didn't respond, her eyes were still closed as the key burned on her flesh, darkness overtook her thoughts, and she was plunged into a black void.

" _Bo."_

 _The voice reached her in the murky darkness._

" _No, stay back. You can't be here."_

 _Bo pretended not to hear the voices, pressing further through the darkness. Echoes of her name still bounced around her as she tumbled senselessly through the cold, empty corridor._

 _Her foot hit something, and she stumbled. Something very, very cold and hard. She squinted and looked down. It was a long chain._

 _After a beat, she waded down the hallway following the chain, silhouetted shadows of faces danced beside her. All familiar but not._

 _The veil of darkness started to part, and she could make out a cell door at the very end. As she crept slowly to the door, her fingers held the key around her neck._

 _A woman appeared in front of her seconds later. "What took you so long?" She pointed to the prison cell window._

 _Bo walked up to the woman, it was herself again, her echo. "Oh hey, other, more serious and ominous Bo, how are you?" Bo half-heartedly joked._

" _What are you willing to sacrifice to save Lauren?"_

 _Bo glared at herself, eager to get answers, she shot back, "If you are me, you know, I hate riddles, so just spit it out." She eyed her doppelganger with suspicion. "What's really going on here?"_

" _Now is not the time. But keep in mind, you can save her, but only if you are willing to pay a high price. But it won't be an easy decision."_

" _You're purposefully holding back important information for some messed-up reason, but I will find out," Bo said, arguing with herself._

" _I have no doubt you will. You're resourceful; you'll figure out the loophole. But first," Other Bo pointed to the cell window. "You need to have a look."_

 _Bo scowled and shot her double a dirty look but followed her instructions. She held her breath, and looked through the window, finding Lauren chained inside with her body leaning against the wall._

" _Bo."_

 _Lauren's voice floated over Bo, all around her. Like a distant hum, trying to reach her._

"Bo."

Her dreams. All her nightmares came back to her. Lauren in chains locked away behind a door, and Bo couldn't save her. When Bo's eyes opened, she stared at the key around her neck. Lauren had lived in a situation no person ought to, to be owned, her freedom stolen, and the knowledge that she hadn't done anything to stop it tormented Bo. She had failed to free her, and she had stopped trying. And that's what her dreams had been telling her.

Slowly lifting her head, she found Lauren gazing at her, crouching down in front of her. "You fell asleep," Lauren said, gently.

"It's you."

Bo closed her eyes and swallowed her dry throat, pausing long enough for Lauren to say, "Yes. It's me." She tenderly brushed back the hair from Bo's face. "What happened?"

Slowly, Bo opened her eyes to focus on Lauren. "I've been having nightmares about you since I got here, and I just remembered."

Lauren held her breath, her eyes full of questions. "What exactly did you see in the dream?" Her voice softened as her eyes roamed over Bo.

"It's one I've had before, I just didn't remember, you were the point of the dream." Circling her hand around Lauren's, she brought her down to sit next to her.

They sat like that, their bodies pressed together, and Bo cocked her head to look at Lauren, wanting Lauren to know, to really hear her. She knew in her bones that she had the answer. "You were trapped in a cell, a prison. But no matter how hard I fought I couldn't break you free."

"It was just a dream." Lauren tried to refute, unsure if she believed her own words.

Directed by a feeling, something deeper than a hunch, a sort of internal knowing that she was right, a gut instinct she'd learned to trust, Bo said, "But here's the thing," She met Lauren's gaze with intensity. "I don't think it's just a dream; I believe it's the answer. My subconscious was telling me the whole time without me even realizing it."

"Telling you what?"

"That…" Bo broke Lauren's gaze, squinting far into the distance when she continued. "I failed to help you, free you. It's because I couldn't or didn't help free you from the Ash, from the Fae."

"Bo…" Lauren started to argue.

Lauren reached for Bo, wanting to convince her that it wasn't true at all. But Bo pulled away quickly and shot to her feet. "You said the portal is something tied to my lingering guilt. Well, the Fae owned my girlfriend, and I did nothing to stop it, to help. Running around worrying about my own problems…"

"I didn't need you to save me." Lauren paused a long, thoughtful moment before pinning Bo with a penetrating gaze. "I agreed to stay with the Fae. That was my choice, not yours. It's not your fault."

Bo weighed Lauren's words in her head but remained unconvinced. "But I could have done something. Tried again, but I did nothing. I've helped so many Fae and humans, but not the person that I love." She countered, knowing the truth of it. She knew it the moment she opened her eyes. She was afflicted with shame over her inadequacies with helping Lauren get her freedom.

Slowly, Lauren rose to her feet waiting more than a minute before saying, "That's not true. I'm responsible for my own decisions. My relationship with the Fae has nothing to do with you."

"Doesn't it?"

Lauren began to pace. "It doesn't." She inhaled deeply, lifting her shoulders and then dropping them again. "It's my life, my decisions."

Bo tugged her to her body, thankful she didn't pull away. "We could have worked together to free you. That's my regret that I stopped trying to help." She sighed, collecting herself. Bo's voice bore the burden of her words when she added. "I carry around a lot of guilt, about a lot of things, but there has to be a reason I'm specifically dreaming about you."

Lauren took a breath considering the bigger picture. There was no arguing with Bo once her mind was made up, so she conceded. "Okay, if you're sure."

"I know where we need to go." Lauren shot Bo a curious look, and Bo added. "Back to where it all began, the Light Fae compound."

Making their way back through the house, everything they'd discussed tumbled around Lauren's head. She didn't like that they had to guess at so much of this. Bo was comfortable going in headfirst, bending with whatever life threw her way. She always had an indomitable spirit. But Lauren preferred more certainty. All of it left her anxious.

"What about Dyson and Kenzi? We don't know what happened to them."

"You're the brains," Bo smiled, her soft, gentle tone soothing some of Lauren's edginess. "I was hoping you would come up with a plan for that."

"We could go forward and try to reach the Caretaker, to get answers." Lauren suggested again.

"When we get back we'll plan our next move." Bo made the decision to focus on the positive and rely on her confidence and the knowledge that she'd overcome many challenges before, and this situation was no different. "All of this is just one more obstacle for us to deal with."

Lauren wanted to laugh at how casually Bo stated that like the situation wasn't dangerous. "It's one hell of an obstacle, though." She said the smile that crossed her face was genuine.

"True, but we'll rise to the challenge. When we work together harmoniously, we are unstoppable." Bo stated confidently.

Lauren stared into Bo's eyes and saw her conviction. For the first time, it hit her that maybe they would make it out, together. Or at least, she had a bit of hope. Grabbing a hold of Bo's hand, it was Lauren that led the way out of the house. With a little luck, in a few hours, they could have the answers about Kenzi and Dyson, and, if Bo was right, the way back home.

 **XXXX**

 **AN**

 **Sorry about the lack of updates. I've been super busy, adulting is annoying sometimes.**

 **Well, thanks for reading and reviewing.**


	12. Chapter 12

"What are the chances of this working?" Bo asked, wanting an idea of what to expect.

"We're in uncharted territory here. There's no rhyme or reason to when The Caretaker appears." Lauren answered as they stealthily got out of the car, which was parked a short distance from the Light Fae compound.

Bo watched as Lauren retrieved her duffle bag from the trunk, and asked. "Well, what's the plan? Do you have like a beacon to summon him?" She knew the answer, but she still asked.

Lauren glanced at the building and then back at Bo. They were facing such a tangled web of deceptions. It was hard to know what was true and what wasn't. "If the portal is here, he may appear when we try to get in. I think he likes to hang around and watch." She smiled for Bo's benefit because she wasn't feeling confident about any of it.

Bo had been thrilled when she remembered her dreams, thinking it was the clue to finding the portal, but as the hours had ticked past, that elation had turned to fear. She had failed Dyson and Kenzi, and she wasn't sure they would get the answers they needed. "So, is this part of his game? Draw out the anticipation before appearing?"

"He has an agenda; I'm sure he'll resurface."

They made their way toward the front entrance. The door and windows were covered with graffiti, and it appeared to be falling apart from neglect.

"This isn't like home at all," Bo commented, looking at the dilapidated building that was the Light Fae Headquarters in their world.

"Very little is," Lauren said as she tried the handle. "It's locked." She bent down and rummaged through her bag, looking for a loaded pistol.

Bo looked away, debating something, then turned back to Lauren. "Why take Dyson and Kenzi? If he wants to punish me, why do that?" She knew she was starting to sound like a broken record with her questions, but she was still so confused about so much.

It was hard for Lauren to ignore the pain and uncertainty in Bo's voice, so she replied as gently and comforting as she could. "We're still facing so many questions, but I doubt all of them have an answer." She aimed her weapon at the lock. With three rapid shots, the bolt broke. "We should have a look around, and keep our eyes and ears open." She added as she pushed on the door. It fell open hard, making a loud boom that echoed around the interior. She peeked inside and discovered the inside was as neglected as the outside.

Bo hung back and loosely wound their fingers together to stop Lauren. "Have I told you how brave you are?" She gathered Lauren in her arms, hugging onto her tightly. "You continually amaze me, and I don't think I could have gotten through this without you."

In Bo's arms, Lauren was able to steal a small moment of peace and managed to strip the countless thoughts about the portal and Caretaker away. She ran a finger down the center of Bo's chest, lingering briefly over the key. "Yes, you would." She said softly as Bo released her from her arms. "But one thing I've learned during all this, it's that I'm a lot stronger than I ever gave myself credit for."

Bo's response was on the tip of her tongue, but something in the corner of her eye caught her attention. Standing two hundred yards away, a lone figure watched, an ominous wave emanated from him.

"He's here," Bo whispered, the momentary shock at seeing him rooted her feet to the spot. She knew it was him, though he took on a different appearance. He was there, within reach, yet didn't make a move, a complete look of smugness dripped off him.

He bobbed his head, acknowledging Bo, who still stood in the doorway.

"Something tells me this isn't going to be easy," Bo said out the side of her mouth as he advanced on them.

"You need to tap into your diplomatic side," Lauren said with a bit of humor.

"Do I have a diplomatic side," Bo replied not missing a beat, and then shifted her attention back to The Caretaker.

"You look surprised to see me." He mocked, taking a step toward Bo, his eyes never leaving hers. "I'm getting a tad weary of this little game."

Settling into a fighting stance, adrenaline rushed through Bo's veins. "Tell me what happened to my friends." She took a step toward him, a confident air about her.

The Caretaker watched Bo like she was a child standing up to an adult. Lauren watched him look at Bo. He was underestimating Bo. That was exactly the kind of arrogance that would definitely work in their favor.

"Ahhh, the wolf and the sidekick." He smacked his lips, cruelly contorting his face into a smirk. "I grew tired of them. You two are so much more fun. I'll enjoy watching you or your human lover submit to me."

Inwardly, Bo counted to ten as she reminded herself he was trying to rattle her. What he didn't know was each time he poked her, he strengthened her resolve to destroy him. "Why are you doing this?" She demanded, refusing to play his games.

Lauren stood still, quietly observing, waiting for that moment when the Caretaker might screw up and divulge something telling.

"You made a mockery of the Temple, and you must pay for that. Think of it like a karmic way to balance out the universe. You do all these stupid things without consequence, and I won't allow you to break the rules, again."

"I won't just break your little rules. I will destroy you. I don't know how, but I'll find a way." Bo couldn't help but bite back, righteous anger burned from her. Calm negotiations had never been her strong suit, especially with condescending assholes. "I won't allow you to do this, any of it."

He exhaled in exasperation, and it was almost comical. "Such pathetic displays of bravado." He cast a quick sideways glance at Lauren. "But I've already won this game."

There was something in the way he looked at Lauren that told Bo there was a hidden meaning in his words.

"Watch who you're threatening," Bo pointed her finger sharply at him. "As long as I have breath left in me," She put on her brash, overconfident face. "You will never win."

As The Caretaker ignored Bo and held Lauren's eyes, he opened up her memories, and she remembered the deal she'd made when she entered the Temple. Their exchange became clear in her mind. The sickening truth began to set in as she realized what she had done. It was true, he had already won because she had been so desperate to get to Bo, she had already agreed to his terms. One or both must stay.

It was merely confirmation of what she had feared for a long time. Lauren had tried to deny what she had known deep down to be true, but that was impossible at that moment.

Bo caught Lauren's eye. There was regret in her eyes, an anguish that Bo didn't understand. Quickly, Lauren cast her gaze down, away from her, as if she didn't want her to look at her.

"Such a beautiful fantasy world you live in, but soon you will beg for my mercy." The Caretaker spat in Bo's direction, and Bo tore her eyes from Lauren and took a menacing step toward him.

Pulling herself back to the task in front of them, Lauren inserted herself between them. Her hands outstretched to block either from advancing. "Wait." She said, stopping things from escalating further. "You want this finished, right? Then go ahead, tell us what happened to Kenzi and Dyson. We can't go forward until we know their fate." She infused as much calm into her words as possible. Her mind was still spinning from the realization that she'd sacrificed herself to find and save Bo. But those troubling thoughts would have to wait.

He gave her knowing, sadistic smirk. "I didn't go to all this trouble to simply feed you answers." He said, but it looked as if he was thinking it over.

Lauren wasn't sure what lay ahead of them, but she knew one thing. They couldn't continue without finding out what happened to Kenzi and Dyson. "Well, what would suffice? We need answers."

He cocked his head, curled and uncurled his lips, as though weighing Lauren's words.

Bo squared her shoulders, remained fixed in place, waiting.

"Fine, let's make this even more interesting."

That didn't sound good to Bo. She sucked down a breath and blew it out. "Meaning?"

"Meaning…" He drew out the word and looked back and forth between them. "Survive a little trial, one to test your very essence. Declare yourself confident enough to face the challenge and if you emerge victoriously, I will give you your answer."

Bo looked at Lauren and bit her lip. Slight doubt flamed, but she needed to stay strong. She didn't know what the hell he was up to, but she was willing to let it play out. "Let me face this trial, alone. That's the only way I will agree." As she spoke, she kept her eyes on Lauren.

Lauren's eyes widened with sincere surprise. "No, Bo."

"Lauren, I'll be okay. I'll survive." Bo declared with one hundred percent confidence. She placed her hand on Lauren's shoulder, attempting to calm and reassure her.

"I'm not entirely defenseless." There was a slight hint of hurt in Lauren's retort. "I refuse to be relegated to a position of helplessness. Why can't I help?"

While it might have been tempting to blame others for her choices, this entirely fell firmly on Bo's own shoulders and conscience. She needed answers and knew she had no choice but to accept the challenge, but there was no way she would risk Lauren.

"Because my actions set this all in motion. It's my responsibility." Bo declared vehemently.

Lauren clenched her jaw at Bo's stubbornness. "You could not have predicted any of this would happen. It's not your fault."

"I can't stand the idea of you being hurt," Bo said, the emotions inside pushed back by the firmness of her voice. "I have to do this alone, please. You've done so much already."

"Talk, talk, talk," He cut in, his hand mimicking her mouth. "The sooner you begin, the sooner you can have your answer."

Lauren let out a loud sigh and glared at the Caretaker. She understood Bo's resistance, her need to protect. She didn't want to push the issue too much and ram a wedge between them, especially with what they were facing next. Her mouth lifted into a tiny smile, her eyes full of understanding. "Okay."

Bo hugged Lauren snugly, and enjoyed the small victory that Lauren had agreed with her. "Thank you," she whispered, lightly patting Lauren's back.

"So you agree?" The Caretaker prompted and they drew apart.

Bo kissed her two fingers before placing them on Lauren's lips. She thought to tell Lauren she loved her as she did, but she didn't want it to seem like a goodbye because she intended on returning, so she didn't. She let the gesture speak for itself.

"I agree," Bo stated, eager to begin. There wasn't time to reconsider, to wonder whether she'd acted rashly. All she could think about was Kenzi and Dyson and their safety.

As they waited, Bo slipped her hand into Lauren's and gently squeezed. Lauren squeezed back with her eyes on the Caretaker. She didn't want to let Bo go, but she knew Bo could handle herself.

"Let's begin." He called out as he touched Bo's arm, and sucked her from Lauren into darkness.

XXXXX

Gasping for air, Bo placed her hands on her knees and took in long, deep breaths. She didn't know where she was, but the Caretaker had taken her somewhere new.

Lifting her head, Bo stood before the opening to a complicated maze; the tall yew hedges loomed over her. As she looked side to side, it was overwhelming in size. The massive walls stretched out beyond her sight. The green foliage that made up the network of riddled paths was dense and impenetrable, as far as she could tell.

"This will be your test, Bo. Enter the maze and find your way to the center," The Caretaker announced, gesturing to the opening.

"Sounds simple enough," Bo chuckled and glared at him. "I love a good challenge." She turned her attention back to the maze and bounced on her heels.

"Nothing is ever as simple as it appears, arrogant one."

"So is there like a monster in there ready to eat me?" Bo joked, falling on humor to ease the building tension within her.

"Something like that, but one more thing before you start." His voice caused Bo to look swiftly in his direction.

Bo looked at him in question before putting her eyes back on the maze. "What is it, now?"

"You must complete this challenge alone."

"That's fine. I don't want Lauren involved with this." Bo answered, his statement confused her. She hadn't intended on getting any help anyway.

"You must meet this trial without the power and strength of your succubus. Your abilities will be suppressed, and you will continue on as a human."

Bo was speechless. She had only recently gotten her power back and didn't want to give it up again. She wanted to fight against that condition because it felt like he was taking a fundamental part of her away.

"No," Bo said sternly. "Isn't it enough that I'm playing your game? Why make it harder?" She questioned, shaking her head in disbelief.

"It will only be for the duration of the test."

"You want me to go in there and fight some unknown monster without my powers." She said, making sure she understood right.

"I'm surprised you have so little faith in your human side."

"Abandoning my power, even for a short time, isn't something I'm comfortable with."

"Ah I see, you believe as a human you are somehow less than." He replied with raised eyebrows and a haughty look on his face. "What about your lover and best friend, are they not human?"

Bo's expression changed, annoyance flared into her features. "I don't think humans are less, but my power is a part of me, it's where I get my strength."

"Interesting. There is a fair amount of irony in a Fae in love with a human. Also, another maddening example of your belief that our rules don't apply to you."

"Those rules are stupid. I don't care about Fae laws."

He continued, ignoring her. "The longevity of our lives affords us the chance to sample all life offers, why limit yourself with a human, that's beneath you?"

She knew he was baiting her. "Many Fae are arrogant in their belief of their superiority. But they are wrong." She snapped, trying hard to hold her patience. His manipulative ways were grating on her. He was pushing her into a corner, and she knew it.

"And yet, you believe you can't face this challenge without your power, therefore, confirming our superiority."

Bo rubbed her face as if to try and wipe away the anger he had evoked in her. "It's not the same." She replied with a sigh.

He tapped his foot impatiently as he waited for Bo to agree. "Then you can't enter and get your answers. It's the only way."

She stared at him coldly and thought about Lauren and Kenzi. They had no powers, had no magic. Yet they still fought, still stood as the only humans among the supernatural, faced dangers that could take them out in two seconds. They were the special ones, and she would never view them as weak. She could look to them for strength, for inspiration. She might not have been human herself, but in many ways she was, and she could embrace that part of herself to complete this trial.

"Very well, let's get this over with," Bo said, turning her back to him. Uneasiness came over her as she hovered at the opening, but powers or not, she knew she would complete the trial. She didn't bother searching for the exit. She knew the only way she'd get out of this was getting through it.

XXXXX

While Lauren waited for Bo, she made her way through the compound. Although the building was empty, the layout was the same. She'd made the walk to the lab so often that she did it on autopilot, lost in her thoughts. She sorted through her memories, trying to think of something, anything that might help. But she kept coming up short. She took a long breath, willing her mind to work faster, more clearly.

In her haste to get to Bo, she had acted recklessly in taking the Caretaker's deal, and now she was faced with the ramifications of that decision. Sorrow and regret hung in the air around her, like a thick smothering blanket.

Finally, she reached the door leading into the lab. She fidgeted with the door handle; nerves crept into her as she prepared to enter. Being there, she couldn't help but think about the past, and what had led her to the Fae. She had known she had taken a risk by giving up her freedom to the Fae in exchange for finding a cure for Nadia, but, at the time, she had believed it to be the right decision, justifying the loss of her freedom as a means to an end to save Nadia. As the years ticked by, she struggled with her place within the Fae world but braved through it. If she were honest with herself, she could admit she had lost all hope of finding a cure for Nadia and had spent years only going through the motions of it all. Another regret that plagued her, she had given up on Nadia long before her death. It was a failure that hung heavy around her until she learned the truth about everything, and then feelings of failure were replaced by guilt and shame, a crushing weight on her shoulders.

It had all been a lie, a lure to trap her. She realized with self-loathing that deep down she felt like it was what she deserved, that it was retribution for her past mistakes. Her suffering couldn't bring back the dead, or right her wrongs, but, she felt, it could offer her some penance for what she had done. But she profoundly regretted that Nadia had to pay for her sins as well.

An old pain pierced her already drained and worn heart. Closing her eyes, she knew everything that had happened had strengthened her, taught her much about the world, and yet, she was tired from holding so much guilt so close to her for so long.

Her shoulders slumped and she took a deep breath at the assault of memories, which she couldn't keep at bay facing her former prison.

When she pushed the door open, the lights flickered on, which was a small comfort. She paused and stared around the lab that had been her life for five years, traces of memories were tied to each inch of the room. The lab was exactly the same as home, in perfect condition, a stark contrast to the rest of the building.

She dumped her bag on the floor and went to a lab table on the side of the room. She leaned against it on her palms. She felt heavy, drained, a sharp pain burned in her gut.

But the lethargy didn't stop her mind from working overtime. She reflected on her former life with the Light Fae. After Nadia had fallen into her coma and before Bo, she had lived without any passion, floating through those five years, not really living at all. She had taken to living a solitary life, focusing on her work, living among the Fae, but never really being a part of their world. She was their doctor and scientist and nothing more; no one had sought out to get to know her or build a friendship. Until Bo. Bo had embraced her as a part of her life, offered her the friendship and love that she had lacked for so long.

Slowly, Bo had brought pieces of her former self back to the surface. Bo had given her a reason to want a life, to fight. She wanted to be loved and to have a say in her own life. She didn't want to continue with that half-existence of not really belonging anywhere. Bo helped her believe it was possible, and that maybe, despite her grave mistakes, she was worthy of a bit of happiness. Bo had healed the pieces of her heart that had been shriveled up and closed off for all those years. The passion and desire Bo had awoken within her was fierce.

But here she was again on the verge of giving up her life for the one she loved. It all came full circle.

She couldn't save both of them, no matter how much she desired it. She would sacrifice herself for the sake of Bo and the world. Her avoidance couldn't continue forever, she knew. Bo would have to know the truth about the deal she'd made, and soon. And she hoped that when the time came, she could help Bo understand it was the only way. No matter how painful it would be, it was for the best.

There was no good outcome here. She would stay behind, and Bo would go on. But she could take solace in knowing all the good Bo would continue to do, all the people she would save. Bo always threw herself in, with her whole heart, and did so much selflessly. Lauren felt lucky and honored to have known her.

She couldn't and wouldn't feel sorry for herself, and focus on the fact another force was dictating her life, again. She had made a choice, and she would embrace the outcome with dignity. And moments like that could define a person. In her youth, she had been naïve and idealistic, thinking she could change the world. But she learned a harsh lesson when her brother betrayed her, and people died because of her foolishness and mistakes. When faced with the punishments of her actions, she ran, but she was done running.

Undeterred by her fatigue, Lauren paced the lab and kept checking the time. Bo had been gone awhile, and her mind went off in different directions as she tried to imagine what trial the Caretaker was putting her through. She worried about Bo, but she knew Bo would rise to whatever challenge was placed before her, to stand unflinching in the face of danger with a brave heart. She was Bo, after all, and she would never go down without a fight.

XXXXX

Bo glanced around for some creative inspiration, not sure which direction to go. She wanted the quickest and safest route, without all the tedious obstacles. The problem was both ways appeared identical with no signs about which way was best.

A loud howl pierced the silence, and all the hairs on her body rose.

Perfect, she thought as she took her first step into the maze. The sound came again, and she strained to listen and determine which direction it was coming from. It signaled danger, and she hazard a guess that it was headed straight for her. She didn't know how the hell she was going to tackle this without her powers, but she had to figure something out.

Her heartbeat quickened, and she had no desire to keep still. She made a quick decision and began walking to her left. She pushed her hand into the shrubbery wall, hoping to uncover an opening. But all she found were small, rough branches and twigs woven tightly together.

She didn't know how long she'd been moving, but each time she turned around to calculate her advancement, it seemed like she'd gone nowhere. The tall barriers cast black shadows on the pathway, and she found her mind playing tricks on her.

Her progress was slow as she kept second-guessing herself on where to go. It was hard to make a decision when everything looked the same. She paused and swept the area, and out of the corner of her eye, she caught quick movement.

"Hello?" She called out as she craned her head to see. Nothing. As she looked around, she realized she needed a better plan than aimlessly wandering around. Her eyes drifted up the tall hedge and an idea struck. Walking over to it, she tried to judge how difficult it would be to climb the hedge wall. She needed to see exactly what she was dealing with, the distance to the center.

She dug her foot into a suitable foothold and heaved herself up. The thick foliage held her weight easily as she quickly climbed and reached the top. Swinging her leg up, she straddled the width and took a few moments to plan, and look around. The design wasn't as complicated as she had initially feared. She felt confident that she could easily memorize a path as long as she didn't get turned around.

After a few moments, she stared down at the ground. Rules my ass, she thought as a grin spread across her face. There was always a loophole. She steadied herself before she shifted her other leg and jumped to the other side of the wall. She was much closer. She wasn't cheating, just bypassing a lot of the challenges.

Brushing herself off, she kept going as she thought about the labyrinth's design and started moving in the necessary direction. With more confidence, she began taking a series of lefts and rights, using her memory as a guide through the corridors.

A loud howl broke the quiet and caused her to twirl her head around. It was closer, much closer than before. She let a new urgency fill her, as her feet pounded the ground, moving with purpose.

Rounding a corner, she didn't see the large branch until it was too late. Her boot caught on it, causing her to lose her footing and topple forward, falling face first onto the ground. The jarring impact shot a sharp pain through her body. She cursed and smacked the ground before scrambling to her feet. She kicked at the offending branch and got another idea.

With the howls getting increasingly closer, she knew she would need some kind of weapon and be battle ready. It might not be ideal, but if she could snap off the branch, it could just do the trick.

Just as she tried snapping off the branch, another howl sounded in the distance, putting her body on high alert. She tugged with all her strength until it broke away.

Gripping it tight, she gingerly stroked the tip assessing her new weapon. There was a slight sharp edge on one end. If nothing else with quick reflexes she could jam it into the creature's eye, if she needed to get away.

Armed, with the weapon at her side she gazed around and tried to calculate the distance to the center. Something moved in her peripheral vision, causing her skin to prickle in response. But as she spun around she found nothing.

She sensed a shift in the air and it told her to flee. Pushing away her dread, she walked along the path she had in mind. Turn after turn, she jogged small stretches, each step taking her closer to the end of the challenge.

There was a hissing sound around her, making her stop mid-step. She felt like a sitting duck, waiting for something to happen. As she debated scaling the hedge wall again, a dark ghostly figure charged forward from the shadows, followed closely by a second, and third. At first, she thought she imagined it, but when they zipped by her large lacerations appeared on her arm.

"OWWW-WAH," She exclaimed, dropping the stick to hold her arm. Blood seeped from the deep cuts and stung when she touched it.

With the wounds on her body burning, she took a vigilant stance and waited to see what would happen next, but the shadowy figures disappeared. Muttering under her breath, she crouched down to get her weapon, but she didn't think it would be much use against enemies with no substance.

A slight panic bubbled inside her, threatening to overtake the fortitude she was clinging to. But that wasn't the moment for fear, so she readied the weapon and walked cautiously forward. It all passed by in a blur, her thoughts on nothing but the task ahead.

Moments later, two things happened at once. More ghostly figures appeared around her just as her mind swam with voices. All her friend's screams taunted her, desperate cries for help and protection. She battled against the noises spinning in her mind, closing her eyes and willing them away. The voices echoed loudly from several directions, and her legs buckled beneath her. A frantic need to comfort and help those she loved flooded her. She felt herself trying to reach out to them even though she knew she couldn't.

She fought to remain focused and pried her eyes open, looking around to see if she could find where the voices were coming from. She wrapped her arms around her body to steady herself, and breathed hard, slowly bringing herself under control.

Through the barrage of shouts and calls, she heard a man's voice calling her name. One she faintly recognized, but at the same time didn't.

"Who are you," She panted, still fighting to catch her breath as she pressed her fingers into her temples.

"Don't give up, my child." The voice whispered as she became steady on her feet again. "We have much to do, and you must fulfill your destiny."

Bo's face blanched. The cold voice sank its icy claws into her mind, and her heart wrenched in her chest. It couldn't be true. It couldn't be her father. That wasn't possible, and yet, she feared that was exactly who was speaking to her. Possible or not. She knew nothing of her father and didn't understand why she thought it was him. She just did.

Before she had time to process that, there was another rustling noise, and then pain erupted against her stomach. It felt like something had punched her, and the impact stole her breath. She staggered backward only to be driven forward by a jarring push in the back. She dropped the weapon again, and it went flying across the ground away from her. Not once did she see the assailants, only felt their blows.

She knew she was vulnerable without her succubus powers, and she didn't like it. Something punched her in the face, and she whipped around trying to catch the next attack. The shadows gathered around her in a circle.

Assessing the situation, she picked up her weapon, tightened her grip on the stick and centered herself. A voice in the back of her mind whispered and told her to give up, but she wouldn't.

When the next attack came, she would be ready. The shadows started taking form, and the faces became apparent with red eyes peering out at her. They came floating toward her, and she gasped realizing she was gazing at the faces of people she had killed.

The air was thick and stuffy, clinging close to her as she stared at them. She was starting to get pissed off, but sometimes pissed off was a good thing. It broke down restraints and gave power if it was aimed in the right direction.

"I'm not going down without a fight," Bo shouted, her resolve kicking in as she swung her weapon a few times.

To her surprise, the stick cut through the shadow, and it disappeared in a cloud of smoke. She waited for it to reform. But it didn't, and that told her what she needed to know. She could stop them.

Three more came forward, closing in on her following the one she'd destroyed. She fought through the shadows, cutting and hacking as they came at her. It was a crude weapon she was using, but it certainly was effective at destroying them.

A distant howl punctuated the noise of her fight, and she instinctively gazed around looking for it. But all she saw was another ghost, and she quickly swept at it with her weapon.

Throwing herself into the combat, she felt strong and in control as she cleared the few remaining adversaries. When she was standing alone again, she looked around to regain her bearings. She held her breath in anticipation of another fight, thinking more enemies were cloaked in the shadows around her.

Her thoughts were in complete disarray as a movement caught her attention, shocking her. "Shit." Her heart missed beats as she gaped at the scene before her.

The hedges were stirring, openings sealing and revealing different pathways. All that time she'd thought she was following a particular layout, and it looked like it had been a waste of time.

Lacking a plan as to which way to go, she broke into a desperate jog, running blindly through the corridors. It wasn't long before her legs began to tire. Her muscles strained under the pressure of running over the hard ground. The faster she ran the more and more persistent the howls became around her. But she didn't stop, wouldn't stop.

As she made a sharp turn, a faint blue glow emitted through a gap in the shrubbery some distance ahead of her. It was like the welcoming flare of safety, the promise of freedom. Everything fell away as she charged forward.

Her heart willed her to make it as if it was her only chance. But as she jogged faster the gap began closing, the blue light fading away. The harder she pushed herself forward, the further away it became, but she kept running, desperate to make it.

She raced harder, and the wind hit her with her speed. With a leap forward she crashed against the wall as it sealed the opening. She cursed and pounded her fists on the dense foliage, not caring about the sharp branches cutting her skin. She tried to push against it with her body, but it was closed too tightly.

A snarl broke through her frustration and made her freeze. She sensed an animal behind her and took a glimpse out of the corner of her eye.

Slowly turning around, she faced the owner of the growl. It bared its fangs, the fur on its back bristled as it watched her. She kept her eyes locked on the creature and took an awkward step backward but felt the hard surface of the hedge behind her. It was a trap.

The creature growled again. Sweat trickled down her back as she watched saliva ooze from between its teeth.

The creature glided forward so creepily that Bo only gaped as it reached her. It was so close she could see the whites of its eyes, and smell the stench of it. For a long moment, she couldn't act. In the blink of an eye, it moved to attack her, and she came to life. She vaulted to the side, losing the grip on her weapon.

The fangs dug into her skin when they made contact. She yelled in agony, unable to move as it's teeth sank further into her flesh.

Pain erupted in her arm, but she refused to react in panic. Everything she needed, she held within her. She had to hang on, and break free. She only needed a little more strength.

When she was ready, she threw her weight into the creature and turned swiftly, so she was behind it. She shut the pain down and got the creature in a firm headlock. Using her forearm, she applied pressure to its throat and used her free hand to force its head forward. The beast struggled against her, but she throttled it until its eyes rolled back and it slumped in her arms.

She released the body, letting it hit the dirt hard. She stared at it making sure it didn't move.

Breathing rapidly from the struggle, her head fell back, and she stared up at the sky. It was like she was fighting a battle that couldn't be won. She wondered if the Caretaker had tricked her, if she was stuck there forever.

No.

She refused to believe that, there was always a way. Forming a plan quickly, she looked around the clearing for her stick.

Aiming her weapon over the beast, she plunged it deep into the center of its chest, and blood and gore spilled out of the hole. She yanked out the stick and pushed her fingers into the hole. The body was still warm, and bile rose in her throat as she coated her fingers in its blood.

With the beast's blood, she drew the symbol from her key onto the hedge.

For a long quiet moment, she stared at the wall hoping it would open. But nothing happened.

She screamed in frustration and rapidly wiped the blood on her pants.

Seconds trickled past, and she pinned her eyes on the blood as she fought the onslaught of negative thoughts creeping in, refusing to let it own her.

Nothing would destroy her; she wouldn't let this maze capture her.

Minutes later, she sighed in relief when the hedges before her trembled and slowly slid open to reveal the center of the maze.

Nudging her into action, she crossed over the threshold into an open circle. It was over. She had won.

XXXX

"Looks like you survived." Bo jumped as the Caretaker spoke.

"I've passed your test, and I want answers." She cringed in pain, clenched her teeth and stalked toward him. "Where are my friends?" She demanded, shouting in his face.

With a hard set jaw and coldness in his eyes, he stared Bo down for a long beat. She didn't cower or move as she held his gaze.

"Fine," He huffed. His fingers touched her forehead, and a piercing pain ran through her head. Her vision disappeared in a flash of bright light, and she felt like she was being pulled out of her body. An instant later, she saw flickering images of Dyson and Kenzi and heard their voices.

" _I should be the one with Bo right now. I'm the one who would sacrifice any and everything for her." Dyson shoved his fingers through his hair and marched around the Clubhouse._

 _From the couch, Kenzi eyed Dyson's movements. "You can't really be jealous that Lauren is trapped with Bo. The main thing to focus on is getting them home."_

 _He collapsed onto the couch next to her. "I love Bo. And I hate myself for letting her go. I feel like I'm falling apart with all of this."_

" _You know I'm Team Dyson for life, but maybe when Bo returns, you should try and move on," Kenzi said and put a hand on Dyson's arm. "I don't say that to hurt you. But Bo is in love with Lauren, and inevitably you have to accept that, or you'll end up always hurting one another."_

" _So you're telling me that Bo should be burdened with a human? Someone who can't protect her or look after her? Lauren will always be a distraction for Bo because she will always have to protect her." He shook his head. "That can't be what's best for Bo. Humans are off limits for a reason."_

" _Well, first of all rude. And second, that's just your hurt pride talking…"_

Dyson and Kenzi faded away and Bo was dragged back. She blinked several times adjusting to her present surroundings.

"See?" The Caretaker said with an overly cheerful tone. "Your friend's are safe now. Don't fret."

His smirk unnerved her. There was so much cruelty in it and amusement. Her relief at seeing her friends safe and home shot into anger. "Now tell me how to escape this place."

His face darkened, his eyes narrowed with bitter hatred for her. "There will come a time where you have a sacrifice to make and the final choice will be all yours. It's simple really."

He repeated the words her other self had told her before, and a hidden, whiny part of her wanted to shout about how all of it wasn't fair, and sucked, but she didn't.

Every part of her body tightened as she stared him down.

He ignored her anger and rapidly fired questions at her. "Are you light? Or are you dark?" He asked, eyes boring into her. "Who are you? Are you a hero or a killer? What are you? Is your real self human or are you just a succubus? Who do you actually love? The wolf, the doctor, or just yourself? Answer me now if you can. I dare you to."

Bo frowned at the ridiculous questions. "And who the hell are you? You held me captive in this reality for petty revenge. To me, you are the very definition of a coward."

He laughed at her with no humor behind it. "You deflect because you can't even answer those simple questions, and that's why you cheat your way through life. You don't even know yourself."

"There's something you need to realize, I'll never be just one thing, and I don't need to define myself to you or anyone else." She yelled, her face hot with rage.

"For all the goodness people attribute to you, they don't even realize you are truly the villain in this story. You are the monster that you've always feared you were, and that's the truth you refuse to face."

"Quit talking in circles you psychotic prick and let me go back to Lauren," Bo shouted, purposely ignoring his rant.

It was as if she hadn't spoken at all as he continued. "You dislike this reality because you are not in control of your life, but how much of your real life are you in control of? You are nothing but a pawn in that world, same as here. You should be thanking me for keeping you here."

"I'm no one's pawn." Bo shot back, anger kindling in her words. She eyed him over suspiciously as she advanced a step on him. She refused to stand by and listen to him yammer out about a bunch of nonsense. "You screwed with the wrong person when you locked me in here."

"I am the power in this place, and you dare to think that you will be able to defy me?"

Bo rolled her eyes. "You are small and weak."

"As always it's been a real pleasure. I look forward to how learning the truth about the portal will break you, and then perhaps you'll finally acknowledge your failings." With that declaration, he materialized into nothingness, taking Bo with him.

Standing alone, Bo's eyes searched to determine where she was, looking for anything familiar. Her gaze landed on the building before her, and she realized she was back where she started.

She grimaced and reached for her shoulder as a pain shot through it and caused her muscles to tense agonizingly. Her wound was very deep and severe, and she hoped she hadn't lost too much blood.

Her body was starting to feel whole again, and her strength was coming back, and she knew her abilities were returning. A surge of power pushed through her as she trotted up to the door to find Lauren, her mind on nothing but the events from the maze.

 **XXXXX**

 **AN**

 **A million apologies for the wait on an update. Next update should be quicker. I already have half of it written.**

 **Probably 3-5 more chapters before this one is complete.**

 **Thanks for reading!**


	13. Chapter 13

Bo silently observed Lauren, experiencing a weird sense of déjà vu. Her mind flicked back to all the times they had been in that spot before in their world. So many memories were tied to the Light Fae lab for her, for Lauren, for their relationship. How many times had they been in that position? Lauren in her lab, and Bo seeking out her help, in a small way it was comforting to have a moment that brought Bo back to their world.

Unaware of Bo's appearance, Lauren was keeping her hands busy around the lab while her mind struggled to sort itself out. She scrubbed down a table, working off some of the tension that had her in knots.

From the doorway, Bo winced in pain. The injuries on her body burned and her hand flew to her shoulder, covering the cuts on her skin.

Immediately, Lauren's eyes shifted to Bo, and she stopped her cleaning. For a moment, Lauren just stared at her, her vivid eyes enormous and unblinking.

Bo attempted a cheerful greeting but scrunched her face and clutched her wounds when she got a sharp stab of pain.

"What happened? Did you get hurt?" Lauren quickly closed the gap between them and pushed up the sleeve of Bo's shirt. She frowned at the deep cuts on her arm. Her fingers ran over the dried blood on her arm and shoulder.

Bo watched Lauren's thumb brush lightly against her skin and savored the feeling of her touch. It calmed her, eased her worries a little.

"I'm okay," Bo whispered, but everything spun, the ground seemed to dip below her.

Lauren quickly intercepted her and slid her arms around her for support. Bo relaxed into Lauren's arms, her forehead against her shoulder. Lauren scooped her up into her arms and held her tight. "Don't overdo it." She placed her hand against Bo's back, soothingly and comfortingly.

Lauren wanted to tell Bo everything she remembered, but their moment together and Bo's damaged body had only made it harder to begin. She needed to get Bo to the portal and stay behind, needed Bo to understand she was doing it all for Bo's sake. It was all her fault for making the deal in the first place. But beginning that conversation wasn't going to be easy.

Bo forced her head back so she could see Lauren. The concern in Lauren's eyes made her feel terrible. "I'm fine. There is no need to be upset."

Lauren's hand gripped her waist to steady her when she wobbled, and Bo grinned in gratitude. Cuts peppered Bo's neck, and she could see gashes on her arms. "At least let me clean your injuries. Can I do that?"

Bo gazed at her and caught the worry that remained in her eyes fused with love, and whispered. "Of course."

Lauren helped Bo over to the nearest lab table and walked away to get the medical kit. She gathered the box and a few towels and set them down on the table. With her back to Bo, she held the edge of the cabinet and hung her head. She knew what she needed to say, but she couldn't get the words out. She turned her head slightly and looked at Bo out of the corner of her eye. Every bad decision, every mistake she made came through her mind. Looking back, it was easy to forget that she hadn't made those mistakes on purpose. But there she stood facing the gut-wrenching consequence of her decision. She shook those thoughts off and filled a clear bowl with warm water.

Oblivious of the inner turmoil warring in Lauren, Bo sat down and stripped off her shirt. As she waited for Lauren, she carefully assessed her wounds and the damage done to her body. Her muscles were stiff, so she rolled her shoulders, and they ached in response. She was so exhausted from being trapped in this confusing reality, from being so far from home for so long. She trembled on the brink of breaking down under the weight of her trial and fear about some sacrifice she would face. She tried not to consider what that meant, yet her mind wandered to unwelcome places. She refused even to entertain the thought of making a sacrifice to The Caretaker. She wouldn't. She would destroy him and the entire reality instead. Despite the courage she was attempting to gather, she felt weak, and that word carved a hole in her heart. She didn't want to be weak so close to the end; she wanted to be strong and determined.

Carrying a tray of supplies, Lauren crossed the room back to Bo. "Did you get your answer about Kenzi and Dyson?" She voiced the question that had been going around her mind since Bo returned as she soaked a towel in the bowl.

"I did. He sent them home." Bo whispered without offering any more details and Lauren looked at her.

Bo sounded as tired as Lauren felt. She dropped her gaze and fiddled with the latch on the medical kit, and then opened it. "That's a relief. Anything else?" Her voice surprised Bo. It was anxious, desperate.

"No, it's just…" Bo met Lauren's eyes and fell silent. Instead of finishing her thought she quietly watched Lauren begin to work.

Lauren washed Bo's shoulder and arms, conscious of the blood and cuts on them. She methodically covered and bound her wounds. Bo had gotten hurt trying to get answers, and once she revealed the truth Bo's suffering would only increase. It hurt Lauren to know that she would be the cause of that, so she avoided the subject while she worked to wrap Bo's injuries. She could already feel herself distancing herself from Bo, and she despised herself for it.

As Lauren bound the last of her wounds, Bo needed to lift the weight of the silence between them. "You're good at that. Have you ever thought about becoming a doctor?" She joked, managing a little smile for Lauren.

Lauren pressed a light kiss to the bandage on Bo's shoulder. "Once or twice." She teased back, but the amusement fled Bo's face, turning it somber.

Lauren took ahold of Bo's hand, not liking the distraught look in her expression. She looked so lost and melancholy. "Hey, why are you so far away, right now?"

Bo's hand trembled in Lauren's, which caused Lauren to hold her hand a little tighter, offering her comfort.

The soft, affectionate edge to Lauren's expression warmed Bo and stripped away her resistance to open up. "I'm tired, Lauren." She admitted as her eyes filled with tears. Pain and slight fear swam in her brown eyes. "I feel like bad things will always keep happening. Sometimes, it feels like the options always lead to two outcomes that are equally as bleak. Is there ever a right choice?"

Lauren felt her heart break a little for Bo, and her other hand covered Bo's, so she held it in both of hers. "What happened in there?"

Bo's lips formed a tight line, not exactly a smile and not really a grimace either. "I think my father was in there with me. He spoke to me. I don't know how I know it was him, but I felt it."

Lauren's mouth flapped opened and closed, not sure what to say. "That's not…" She frowned, thinking quickly. "It was probably the Caretaker playing tricks on you, turning the test from a physical one to a more psychological one. He's used those methods before on me, with Nadia. But don't let him get into your head."

Answering distractedly, her mind still on the maze, Bo studied her hands. "I'm terrified I'll make the wrong choice." She confessed weakly, hating herself for it. "What if I'm not strong enough?"

"You are," Lauren said sternly. "You've done so many impossible things already. You always fight the battles no one else would. You're a force to be reckoned with, and I've known that since the day we met. You are not a hero because you have to be, you are because it's who you are in your core. I think you are downplaying just how strong you are."

Lauren gazed at Bo with an apology in her eyes, and Bo didn't quite know what she was sorry for. A silence built between them until Lauren broke it. "I can't pretend that everything will be fine, but I'll play my part. Whatever comes next, you have the strength inside yourself to face it."

Bo mulled over Lauren's words, wincing as she tried to slip on her shirt without assistance.

"We need to get to the portal," Bo told her, resolute, climbing to her feet. "Then I am going to kick some Caretaker ass, and then we'll get home with a fresh start." Maybe she was thinking too optimistic, but she needed all the positive thinking she could collect at that moment.

Lauren stepped closer to stand side by side with Bo. She wobbled a little and Lauren held her tight. "You're hurt. Maybe you should feed before we look for the portal."

That made Bo smirk, and she gave Lauren a knowing glance. "Do you want to sleep with me?"

"Yes." Lauren's thumb moved against Bo's cheek in a tender caress. "And I want to help you." Her other hand touched Bo's injured shoulder, trying to emphasize her point.

Closing her eyes, Bo absorbed the heat of Lauren's touch and the way it made her feel. Loved. Needed. She wanted Lauren so badly at that moment, to hold her, to make love to her. But she was drained and wanted to end this game as soon as possible. "We'll have all the time in the world for that when we get home."

Slowly, Lauren removed her hand from Bo. There was anguish in Lauren's eyes. She hid it well, but Bo could see a hint of it.

Bo gathered Lauren up in her arms and pressed her hard against her. "We need to finish this." She squeezed Lauren then semi-released her to look at her face. She smiled, trying to alleviate the worry she could see written all over Lauren.

Bo's smile hit Lauren square in the chest, making her guilt feel even more real. She was silent as Bo studied her. Finally, she nodded and followed behind Bo wearing a stoic expression.

XXXXX

The interior of the compound was barely lit, so Lauren clicked on her flashlight and handed Bo one from her bag. It was slightly different there, but similar enough that she could easily find her way around. Lauren darted her eyes everywhere, scanning for any evident that might give her a clue of what to expect next. But she found nothing of use.

The hallways seemed too quiet for them to be going in the right direction, but they continued on regardless. One thing they'd learned quickly, however, it was that looks could be deceiving in that reality. Therefore, they both stayed alert and ready for a battle.

"You're quiet," Bo stated, noticing how little Lauren talked since they left the lab.

In truth, they had both retreated into their own thoughts. But the closer they got to the dungeon the more Bo needed something to break up the silence and her growing anxiety.

"Yeah." That was all Lauren offered. She had started the conversation over and over in her head trying to find the right thing to say. But the words never made it past her lips.

Bo pinned her gaze straight ahead, and wondered why Lauren was so distant, but she assumed it was because she was focused on what came next.

They walked close, their hands brushing against each other, but neither said a word. They continued their journey until they stopped outside of a door. Bo's stomach sank on seeing it. She knew where it led. If her theory was correct, it was time to end the game.

Lauren took a glance at Bo, a tortured look on her face as pushed the door open. She looked both ways down the dim corridor, with Bo standing behind her. It was pitch black, with only the small light from their flashlights to guide them, so they threaded carefully along. The space was small, leaving nowhere for someone to hide.

With each step, the key around Bo's neck started to glow blue and warm. Goose bumps dotted Bo's body, and she knew they had to be getting close to the portal.

"This corridor cuts through the compound and will bring us out to the dungeon," Lauren explained, taking note of the change in the key. Cold crept in as she realized that, after so long, they were actually at the end. She forced herself to turn away from Bo, intending to reach the dungeon as quickly as possible.

It didn't take long before they stood in front of the cell door. As they both stared at it, a beam of light burst from the key, burning the skin on her chest. Bo slid her fingers around her necklace and tugged it off her neck. The blinding light illuminated the area around them, and they clicked off their flashlights.

"Let's do this," Bo whispered and stepped forward to use her key to unlock the door. "We'll be back in our world before we know it."

Putting the flashlights away, Lauren watched Bo prepare to open the door.

The sound of the key grating in the lock brought Lauren back to the reality of the situation, and it walloped her. It was time to open the portal, and send Bo home, where she belonged.

Bo gripped the door handle; it felt cold against her skin. It made a click as Bo started to push the door open. The cell door swung open with a metallic clang, just as smoke billowed into the room, and the light faded from her key.

XXXXX

When the smoke cleared, they stood before an empty room surrounded by concrete walls. "Well, now how do we open the portal, or whatever?"

Lauren reached out and clutched onto Bo's arm to stop her from stepping into the cell.

Bo glanced down at Lauren's hand clutching her arm, and then looked up and gave Lauren a smile. "Are you ready?"

"Kenzi mentioned a power source. I don't know what she meant." Lauren explained as she released Bo's arm. She had been so focused on different things, that detail had escaped her until that moment. Looking at Bo, it hit her. She knew what they needed to do. Swinging her bag off her shoulder, she crouched down and dug out a knife for Bo.

Bo understood without a word. They walked into the center of the room. She opened her palm and ran the blade along it.

As Bo's blood dripped down onto the floor, it sizzled and hissed. The energy in the room shifted. Within seconds, the stone on the ground glowed deep within its core, and a blue pool of light shimmered into existence. The portal connecting one reality to another opened up before them.

Lauren took a deep breath and prepared herself. No matter how much she tried to control them, her emotions still ran riot within her.

"It's working."

Lauren nodded, quickly wrapping Bo's hand in a bandage. "You need to go home."

Bo stared at Lauren, confused, wanting her mind to digest what she had said. "We. You mean we need to go back."

Lauren's ability to not talk about things wasn't one of Bo's favorite characteristics about her…particularly at that moment. There was something Lauren wasn't telling her. She looked into Lauren's eyes to try and figure out what it was, and all she saw was regret.

"What is it?"

Lauren swallowed hard trying to muster her courage. "I have to tell you something and what I have to say will change everything…forever."

Bo considered her with a mix of foreboding and curiosity.

"I messed up, I'm sorry. I should have told you." Lauren's voice was barely there and distant. "I had a memory resurface. I was desperate to get to you and dumb enough to agree to the Caretaker's terms…"

Bo stood there, barely believing what she was hearing. "I don't understand. What terms?" She waited, anxious to know more.

Lauren hung her head, not sure how to explain. It took her a second to respond. "When I entered this place I had a conversation with the Caretaker. He said something about creating a reality based on one Dyson created before, and he wiped our memories. That's why I was a cop and Dyson was a doctor, he switched our roles. I guess to make things harder for us."

"The same thing happened during my Dawning. You're saying it was because of Dyson?" Bo gazed around the room in disbelief. "Why would he do that?"

Lauren's body slumped, her entire posture weary and defeated. "You really want me to answer that question?" She sighed, and stood straighter. She knew from experience that The Caretaker offered many deals and perhaps Dyson took one during Bo's Dawning. But, to her, many of the events of Bo's Dawning were still a mystery. "I don't know, Bo. Maybe to get a chance to have you again."

A hint of anger mixed with bewilderment etched on Bo's face. "He wouldn't…" She breathed slowly, her heart racing. "I mean I don't think he would do something like that." She looked away from Lauren, her thoughts on the events of her original Dawning and she struggled to understand how Dyson could have done something like that.

"In a moment of weakness, the temptation of having you all to himself might have been too alluring. But I wasn't there during your Dawning, so I have no idea. I'm only telling you what The Caretaker told me. I only remembered all this a few hours ago, but honestly, he's been taunting me since I got my memories back."

Pushing back her anger at Dyson, Bo's eyes leaped between Lauren's. "All of what, Lauren. Just say it." The possible answer made her queasy, but she needed Lauren to say it out loud.

For a moment, Lauren gazed down at the pool of light at their feet. "One soul has to be bound to this place forever, and I agreed to stay behind."

Bo blinked slowly and shook her head. "That's not happening."

Lauren could hardly catch her breath as she fought against crying. "I made this choice. One or both must stay, and I can't let you stay here because of my decision."

Silence choked the air as Bo struggled to understand. "But that doesn't mean we can't fix it. There must be something we can do. You just have to believe that." She responded, getting increasingly frustrated with their predicament, and how beaten Lauren was acting. "Do you think he would show you a false memory?"

Lauren stared down at the floor, contemplating what Bo said. A guilty knot wove in her stomach. "It's too late."

Bo's breath came in short bursts, and she looked crazed. "No! You don't get to leave me." She barked, her voice echoing around the cell room. Lauren jumped, and her head snapped up to look at her.

"You don't get to give up! We've gone through hell to get here. If we can just think of something together… We didn't come this far just to lose each other. Us working together, we'll defeat him." She reached for Lauren. It seemed like a cruel joke that after everything they had endured, she would have to live the remainder of her life without Lauren. A life full of regret and missed opportunities.

Shrinking away from Bo's touch, Lauren's hand slipped around her stomach. "You need to get home. I'll try to figure out another way to leave."

Furious and aggravated, Bo lost her temper and hurled the key in her hand across the room. Lauren staying behind without her was unthinkable. She'd rather take their chances together. She was screaming but only in her head.

Lauren's eyes grew wide with tears. She turned away from Bo, her shoulders shaking.

Bo gripped Lauren's shoulder, turning her toward her. Her eyes searched Lauren's, a wildness consuming her, driven by a desperate pain and overwhelming sadness. "No! I'd rather stay with you here than lose you." Bo's chest heaved as she spoke with despair, and Lauren closed her eyes and swallowed hard.

Bo clutched Lauren tighter, as Lauren said. "What good will it do if we both stay here? I need you to survive this. Please, you have to let me stay."

Bo had to slow her breathing before she spoke again. "I refuse just to roll over and let him win. At every turn, we've figured it out. We'll figure this out." Every part of her body felt hot, and her head was spinning. "We need to go on, and fight another day. It's how we live."

Lauren pushed down her fears and found the strength to look Bo in the eye. Bo's expression softened, looking really, really vulnerable. "There's so many counting on you. Kenzi, Trick, Dyson, they need you, you can't let them down. The world needs you."

Those words weren't the ones Bo had needed to hear as her world came tumbling down around her. She laughed an unsettlingly sort of laugh. "What about what I need?" With that Bo was crying, there was too much agonizing pain inside to stop herself. "Dammit Lauren, don't you understand how much you mean to me? How can you think I would let you stay here alone?" She stared at Lauren through tear-drenched eyes, searching Lauren's eyes for signs of uncertainty, but found none. She couldn't believe Lauren was giving up after everything they'd been through. "We finally have a chance to be together. You have to fight like hell for your life."

All of Bo's feelings were on show for Lauren to see, nothing hidden behind any barrier. The thought of going through with it cut Lauren deep, right into her heart, but she had to be strong. It was over. It had been for a long time.

Every part of Lauren wanted to give in to Bo's pleas, but she couldn't. She'd done this. She had made the deal, and the blame only rested on her shoulders. She didn't want to do this, but it was the only thing she could do to save Bo.

"I don't want to hurt you," Lauren lowered her eyes and whispered but her voice still trembled. "But the decisions I've made, they were always, always about getting you home." She choked, and a few tears streamed down her face. She swiped at them, her eyes flashed to Bo's. She looked at Bo with a grim and unhappy resolve on her face. "There's no other way; I know it. I'm not giving up. I'm being realistic." Her voice wavered, betraying her. "We both like to pretend differently, but, in truth, we were always going to have to say goodbye, someday."

Bo's eyes narrowed on her, reeling and struggling to take everything in and she gritted out. "Give me a chance to save you. Please, let me fix it. It's not supposed to end like this. I know without a doubt what I am to you…what you are to me. Please, I love you." The look Lauren gave her, the haunted glint in her eyes made Bo's heart stop. She wanted to believe that this was nothing more than a dream, but she knew differently.

The silence was oppressive as they gazed at each other, neither moving an inch.

Lauren became aware of the portal again, and she knew they were wasting precious time. She firmly gripped Bo's face, holding it in place, so she had no choice but to look at her. She scanned Bo's face, trying to memorize the look she was giving her in case she never saw her again. "Kiss me. Forget about what might happen next and just kiss me." She pleaded, her eyelids drifted shut as she leaned in to kiss her.

With a storm brewing in her heart, Bo brought her head down and breathed against Lauren's neck. Her breath was hot and moist on Lauren's skin. As she rubbed her nose against her, all Bo's thoughts floated away as she kissed Lauren's skin.

The way Bo's lips dragged up Lauren's neck and the soft touch of her tongue as she savored each sweet spot, was how Lauren wanted to remember their connection to each other. She mastered her conflicting emotions and focused on nothing but Bo's tender touch.

It wasn't long before Bo's lips found Lauren's for a kiss that exceeded any they'd previously exchanged. A frantic outpouring of love that told Lauren all the words that Bo had failed to find.

That kiss was a celebration, a declaration that in spite of the odds, they had found each other and love, if only for the briefest of moments.

As they kissed Lauren reminisced, she had been naturally drawn to Bo, who had her spinning from the moment they met. Despite everything that stood in their way, she couldn't deny that pull toward Bo, that undeniable attraction that drew them together. She didn't really give a whole lot of credence to fate. But looking back, it seemed inevitable that they would come into each other's lives, but perhaps just as inevitable that they would lose each other.

"Remember me. I'll live forever if you remember me." She whispered against Bo's lips between increasingly urgent kisses. "But also remember memories only exists to teach. Not to live in."

Bo pulled back, her heart hammered against her chest and she couldn't find the words. She drew deep breaths as she tried to clear her head so she could think about what she needed to do to stop this. She couldn't allow Lauren to sacrifice herself for her. She'd never let that happen.

Lauren tried to smile for her, but it wobbled on her lips. "I will always love you. It doesn't matter where I am. Please don't waste your life by being afraid to keep living. Try to be happy. For me." She whispered hoarsely, an ache in her chest intensified. She didn't want to harm Bo. She wanted to save her life, and if she had to sacrifice herself in the process, so be it. She didn't want to break Bo's heart. She wanted to hold Bo close and never let her go. But she had to make this decision, so Bo didn't have to.

Bo's mouth fell open, a sense of dread building inside her. This wasn't how she was going to let this end. But before Bo could form words, she heard a loud "Ahem" sound through the room, making them both still. They were no longer alone.

XXXXX

"Ah, we've arrived at the eleventh hour of our little game." The Caretaker walked into the cell room. "Let's do this. I'm tired of waiting."

Bo wanted to slap away the amusement that filled his eyes. "Get out of here."

"You…intrigue me." The Caretaker said to Bo.

Bo snorted at that, and crossed her arms over her chest, and Lauren tensed at her side.

He took a step towards them. "One thing I can't understand in all this is how you have so many willing to sacrifice themselves for you. An ancient shifter, a brilliant doctor, and a young girl, all would willingly give their lives for an immature succubus. Why?"

Lauren came around to Bo's other side and whispered in her ear. "Don't listen to him, Bo. He's trying to sidetrack you."

"First, the wolf enters the Temple as your hand, essentially giving up his life for you. But, of course, you attempted to take him with you, against the rules, thusly setting off the chain of events that steered the doctor to enter this reality to rescue you."

His dismissive tone was infuriating, fanning the flames of Bo's disgust for him even more. "I don't need a recap of my life."

"Don't you? This entire situation could have been avoided if you had just stepped up and faced your Dawning alone. Like a big girl." He glared at her as his lips curled into a malicious grin. "But no, you needed a protector. Accept the fact that all this is solely your responsibility. You broke the rules and sparked the Temple's revenge, only you."

"I won't accept anything…I couldn't leave Dyson and have his death on my conscience. I broke your rules to save my friend, and I can't be sorry for that."

"But are you sorry Lauren got dragged into you and Dyson's mess? Are you sorry that Lauren took a deal to remain in this reality in your place? Giving up everything for you."

"Yes." Bo whispered, and she dropped her eyes to her feet quickly and then back at him.

Lauren tried to catch Bo's eye again, but her attention was sharply focused on the Caretaker. He was goading Bo into doing something hasty or biding his time, and she wished she could tell Bo that, without him overhearing.

"I can't understand why. Why do they give up so much for you? What have you done to earn such blind and reckless devotion?" He questioned with an air of amusement and intrigue.

Bo scowled at him and snapped. "Guess you've never had a friend before huh?"

He laughed, clearly enjoying getting under Bo's skin. "You hold two hearts in your hand, and you are too selfish to let one go, or both."

Bo's blood boiled as he continued to fire accusations at her. Her eyes sought Lauren, who stood tense and silent next to her. "You don't know what you're talking about; I love Lauren."

"Perhaps." He shrugged, smirking. "But you spread yourself too thin. And you can't give Lauren what she needs because you are too focused on yourself and everyone else. Someday she's going to realize she can do better and leave you, or your love will ultimately destroy her. Isn't that what you've feared all along? She deserves someone who can focus solely on her, and you can't give her that."

Lauren gripped Bo's elbow and squeezed. "None of that is true, Bo. None. You're stronger than him, and he knows it. That's why he is trying to distract you."

Before she could dwell on everything he said, Bo grabbed Lauren's hand. "We're going home. If you think I'm leaving here without Lauren, you've got another thing coming."

"You're amusing." He laughed and did a broad sweep of his hand, gesturing to the portal. "Try it."

His response irritated Bo. Taking Lauren with her, Bo tried to pass through the portal. As they stepped on it together, nothing happened. Bo tried again, but it was solid beneath their feet.

Bo and Lauren's eyes met, and they stepped off the pool of light at the same time.

The Caretaker's face practically glowed with triumph as Bo kicked at the ground. "See. You both can't leave. Foolish girl, your escape was never going to be that simple."

Something inside Bo snapped. She lunged at him and wrapped her fingers around his neck.

"We can," Bo yelled, lifting him off the ground. Her injuries exploded in pain, but she ignored it. Her nails dug into his skin as she dangled him over the portal on the floor. "Maybe I'll just drop you. What happens if you go through the portal?"

He didn't fight against her. Instead, he mocked her. "You think this will eradicate me? What a great plan. Try it and we will all be destroyed." He laughed again, a carefree sound as if he had no worries in the world.

Bo stared at the portal, a sense a defeat settled inside her. This made it real, too real, they couldn't leave together. But she couldn't let Lauren stay behind. Her only hope was to come up with a plan quickly. She had to think of another way, something to rectify the situation. She was missing something. The solution seemed to slip between her fingers. Nothing came without a cost, but that cost couldn't be Lauren's life. Someone needed to stand in for Lauren. A long moment later her heart wrenched with an idea. The price was simple but steep. That instant of clarity made her release her hold on the Caretaker. He had won. For the first time, she realized that she was truly beaten, there was no way to escape in one piece. Her succubus, she could offer her near immortality and power to stand in place of Lauren's life.

"You are right. This is all my fault. I should have faced my Dawning alone without help." Bo paused long enough to glance briefly at Lauren. "Take me. I sacrifice my succubus, that part of me, to this reality. That's my choice." She said boldly, strong and resolute.

The Caretaker regrouped, massaging his throat and glared condescendingly in Bo's direction. "And why would I want that? I'm not here to bargain with you."

"Think about what you're saying. Don't do anything drastic, Bo." Lauren beseeched, her heartbeat building up in her chest. She couldn't believe Bo could possibly be considering that. She needed something to distract the Caretaker long enough so that she could reach Bo and get her to realize giving up her succubus wasn't the way. She needed to think quickly to get Bo out of this.

Bo looked over at Lauren and gave her a half smile, then swung her focus back to The Caretaker. "I have two natures inside me. Keep my power, my succubus, in this reality and release Lauren and I."

He regarded Bo skeptically. "No, that's cheating. You'd get a happily ever after with your human lover and that kind of defeats the purpose of all this."

Bo spread her feet and shifted her weight, looking like she was about to attack him. "Will I? I will suffer knowing I can't protect my family. In my world, I'm in danger every day, how long do you think I'll survive without my power? Think about it."

His head tilted to the side, considering her offer. "You would make such a gallant sacrifice? You would give up a fundamental part of yourself for one human's life?" He paused and let his statement sink in. "Is she really worth it?"

Bo looked Lauren straight in the eye and laced her fingers with Lauren's. "Yes, because Lauren's life is worth fighting for." She offered her a small smile and kissed her fingers.

Lauren's mouth fell open to protest, but The Caretaker spoke first. "This is an interesting twist. But just to make things exciting." He paused for effect and shifted his gaze to Lauren. "Lauren gets the final say. So, Lauren will you allow Bo to sacrifice her power, her near immortality, to save you?"

Bo dropped Lauren's hand, her face dark with rage. Swiftly, she grabbed his chin to stop him from looking at Lauren. "It's my decision. You said it was up to me to make the final choice, and I choose to sacrifice my succubus in place of Lauren."

With a hard slap, he pushed Bo's hand off him and narrowed his eyes on Lauren. "Things change. I reserve the right to alter the rules as I see fit. Well, Lauren what do you say? Would you be able to live the rest of your life knowing what Bo sacrificed to save you? Would your love survive such a price? Or would the guilt eventually destroy and kill your love? A fascinating conundrum indeed." He casually strolled to the doorway. "I will give you two minutes to decide. Say the word and I release you both as humans." With that, he disappeared leaving them alone.

Lauren couldn't think. She couldn't feel. All she could do was look in shock at Bo.

 **XXXXX**

 **AN**

 **Sorry about ending on a cliffhanger. I'll try to get an update posted in a few days.**

 **Thanks for reading.**


	14. Chapter 14

"I know what I'm doing."

Lauren looked into Bo's face, shaking her head. "The cost is too high. I can't let you do this." She said, her even tone belying the frantic feelings that came to her in a rush after her mind finally caught up to what the Caretaker had said. That turn of events threw Lauren into a tailspin. Something told her she would need a contingency plan to get Bo home because she couldn't let Bo sacrifice a part of herself. How could she live, day after day, with the weight of that on her heart? She couldn't.

Bo stepped backward, lightheaded and shaky, but she forced herself to keep it together and held Lauren's gaze. "You can sacrifice your life for me, but I can't give something up for you?"

Bo's words were sobering. She sounded more hurt than angry, driving a knife of guilt into Lauren. "It's not the same."

Bo tensed, several emotions pouring off her at once. "Why?"

Lauren decided to switch tactics. Saving Bo meant bringing up something she knew would rattle her. But it was the only thing she could think of to save her. "You don't even know my real name." She swallowed the lump in her throat, her chin trembling. "It's Karen."

Bo reached for her, and she somehow found the strength to back away, to keep a bit of distance between them.

After Lauren had refused her hand, Bo crossed her arms under her breasts. "I don't give a shit about your real name. I know your heart, and I love you."

Tears burned Lauren's eyes, and she slowly backed away as Bo advanced on her. "You wouldn't say that if you knew what I did." She choked out, remorse in her eyes. "I'm responsible for the deaths of many people."

Bo blinked, amazed and frustrated that Lauren had picked that moment to open up to her about her past. "Whatever happened in your past, Lauren, it won't change the way I feel about you. It doesn't matter to me. You're Lauren now, and you are the person that I love. Don't you get that?"

Lauren held up her hands when Bo kept stepping towards her, Bo's expression only grew more determined.

"I can't live the rest of my life knowing what you gave up for me." Lauren tried to stifle her anxiety but failed.

Bo shot her a frown and then looked at the portal. "And I can? You don't get to tell me what I can or cannot do. It's my decision."

Retreating, Bo paced away from Lauren, then stalked back to her quickly. "I would rather live with you, as a human, then lose you now. He tricked you into making that deal, and you shouldn't have to pay with your life because of that."

Lauren's mouth opened, but she didn't know what to say. She didn't know what to believe or feel anymore. "You said it yourself. You would suffer without your power." She said after giving herself a few seconds to consider Bo's words.

Bo pressed her lips together and measured her reply. "I didn't really mean that. I was just trying to convince The Caretaker."

Lauren tilted her head as she studied Bo, a pensive look on her face. "I think you did mean it. This decision will destroy us. You protect the people you love, and I can't take that away from you. It would destroy me with guilt."

Bo's heart thundered in her ears as she glanced around Lauren. "Do you love me?" She asked her point blank.

Lauren dropped her head, and her eyes peeked up at Bo through a curtain of hair. "I do, and that is the reason I'm doing this."

They were silent for a few seconds before Bo inched forward and grabbed Lauren's hand. "In this reality, I have come face-to-face with my real self and all the mistakes I've made. Decisions I've avoided making." She leaned her face into Lauren's and whispered fiercely. "I'm not confused about any of it anymore. I don't need to be Fae to be happy; power isn't everything. And I would rather have one lifetime with you than a dozen without you. I choose you, and I know it won't always be easy, but I want a human life with you and Kenzi."

Lauren's mouth lifted into a tight smile. She wanted to believe that was true, even when she knew it wasn't. She knew the agony and regret Bo would feel if she went through with it. It was too much for her. She couldn't put Bo through that pain. "But don't you see? That's where you are wrong. You don't have two natures inside you. Your human heart and your succubus aren't separate parts of you. Both sides make up who you are. Both are just as equally as important. For so long you've feared that being a succubus meant you were a monster, but it doesn't, you aren't."

Slowly, Bo placed both of her hands on either side of Lauren's face. "You listen to me, Lauren Lewis, and you listen very, very carefully. My life is not worth more than yours. And I'll never leave you here, not as long as there's breath in my body. I love you, and I'm staying here with you, or leaving with you as a human."

Silence stretched endlessly between them until Bo wanted to scream to break through it. But she forced herself to wait, to let Lauren break it.

"You can't."

Bo shrugged that off, but fear darkened her eyes. "You'll have to drag my ass through that portal to get me to leave. You know I'm too stubborn to leave you here alone. I won't leave your side; we'll face this thing head on."

The sadness and pain in Bo's eyes were nearly Lauren's undoing, but she stood before Bo unbendable in her resolve.

"If you stay here my heart would stay here with you. That would destroy me more than giving up my power." Bo's words were filled with agony, her eyes imploring.

"I loved you, and you loved me, and it was a glorious love for as little as it lasted. Can't that be enough?"

Bo's arms dropped to her sides as she took in a heavy breath. "No! How can you say that? How could I sacrifice someone I love?" The question came directly from Bo's heart.

Contrition filled Lauren's eyes, and one of her hands cupped Bo's cheeks. "Sometimes we're forced to do something against our will, to put aside our feelings and do the right thing. I know what's right, and you can't do this. Turning human is a selfish decision because so many lives are at stake."

Bo winced at Lauren's words because some of it was true. She waited for Lauren to continue, but she merely watched her face while her thumb caressed her cheek in slow circles. "Why should you be punished for something you never instigated or wanted? You were brought into this mess because of my decision. So, let me correct it."

Bo was tired of her life resting precariously upon the whims of others. That was something she wasn't willing to accept. She eased herself from Lauren and paced the small room. She dropped her head in thought, and immediately noticed a small object on the ground. She bent down and picked up the key she had thrown in rage and slipped it into her pocket, and then an idea struck. "I have a plan."

Lauren looked doubtful, as Bo crossed the room toward her. "I…."

Bo caressed Lauren's neck lightly, trailing her fingers along to her shoulder where she squeezed reassuringly. "Trust me, please. I know what I need to do."

Trust: One word, so simple but sometimes so elusive in the face of a dangerous situation. Struggling with Bo's request, Lauren stared intently into Bo's eyes. Bo had proven resilient time and time again. She realized she had to place her trust in Bo because she couldn't force her to do something against her will. Bo was right she should decide for herself. It wasn't her job to be Bo's protector, only her partner, and all she could do was give Bo her love and support. Unaware of what Bo had planned, she nodded in agreement, a real sign of complete trust in Bo.

"I'm not afraid to face this." Bo declared and gave Lauren a lingering kiss on the forehead.

XXXXX

The Caretaker whistled cheerfully as he ambled into the room. "Enough with the drama and angst. I've had my fill." The air rippled with anticipation as he paused, and Bo stiffened in reaction. "Make your choice."

Bo lifted her chin and took a few moments to gather her courage. "Don't speak to Lauren. Talk to me. She's had enough to deal with; this is between you and me." Her voice was low and soft, but the threat was still in her tone.

The Caretaker chuckled, completely unfazed by Bo's remarks. "Oh, your lover won't be dodging this bullet today. She has a choice to make."

With his eyes on Lauren, she chose to keep her expression neutral. She didn't want to give him the satisfaction of getting a reaction. But her stomach churned, as she was unsure about what Bo had planned.

Bo managed to attract the Caretaker's attention by stepping in front of Lauren, shielding her from his gaze. "We don't accept your terms."

The Caretaker stalked to the edge of the portal and then turned back to Bo. "Come now, succubus, we were getting along so well, don't ruin it. It's time I take something precious from you…" He trailed off and gazed at Lauren over Bo's shoulder.

Anxiety prickled Lauren's nerves, as she sharply paid attention to the exchange, wanting to thwart The Caretaker some way if she could. But she had no plan, no wiggle room, and honestly, no hope.

"I must applaud you on your taste in women. Lauren certainly is a delicious little thing. Isn't she?" The Caretaker said, earning a deep scowl from Bo.

Lauren kept her expression blank, not wanting to give his rude comments the dignity of a response.

Bo knew he was taunting her, but the nasty tone of his voice grated over her patience. "Don't you speak about Lauren." She replied, her voice sounding furious and deadly.

"Your supreme confidence amuses me. Say your piece."

Lauren rubbed her arms, feeling a sense of foreboding as she watched Bo stand tall in front of the Caretaker. The last thing she wanted was for Bo to give up her power, but she also couldn't accept Bo remaining trapped in this reality with her either. Every moment that passed brought them closer to the end, and she wished she knew Bo's end game.

Ready for battle, Bo dialed down her scowl but spoke with conviction. "I can't allow others to make decisions for me anymore. I need to make this choice for myself and accept responsibility for my decisions both good and bad. It's the only way. You can't deny me that."

The Caretaker didn't speak, and Bo closed her eyes, begging for him to see reason. Lauren wasn't at fault. This was her decision to make.

When he still didn't reply, Bo opened her eyes and puffed out her chest. "I can no longer accept anyone I love having to make sacrifices on my behalf. It's not right. It's time for me to own up to what I did, and hold only myself accountable."

He scratched his chin and looked at Lauren for a long beat. "This is a decisive moment." His head spun to glare at Bo. "You're ready to step up and make this sacrifice yourself, without allowing another to make the hard choice for you?"

Bo gave a sharp nod of her head. Lauren grimaced and turned her back on Bo, feeling helpless, utterly helpless. With her back to Bo, Lauren walked across the room, her face white and exhausted. As they spoke, she lowered her head, shaking so badly she thought she might throw up.

The Caretaker clapped his hands together, slowly, while holding a grin. "Bravo! I didn't think you had it in you. Now tell me, who are you?"

At first, Bo was confused by the question, and then she remembered the maze. "I was born in darkness but brought into the light. I have the strength of a succubus, but the heart of a human. I'm in love with Lauren Lewis. She's the only one I want. And I am part killer, but I work hard to preserve life, and protect people when I can."

He nodded his head as if impressed with her answers. "And what do you choose to sacrifice as payment for your sins against the Temple?"

With a shaky breath, Lauren stormed across the room. It was her last chance to reason with Bo. "Please don't do this," She pleaded, taking Bo's hand in earnest.

Bo's hand closed around Lauren's, and she stood her ground in front of the Caretaker. For her, there really was not another choice. Not one she could live with, at least. "I choose to sacrifice my succubus as penance for my decision to break the rules of the Temple. I stand by my choice."

"What you ask will rip out the core of you, the essence that makes you what you are. It's an agony you will never get over. And what is so important that you'd risk that pain?"

Bo stared straight at Lauren; she needed her to recognize the depth of her feelings, and her determination. Her eyes held no fear. No doubt. "Love."

Closing her eyes, Lauren shuddered as she heard the Caretaker accept Bo's sacrifice.

XXXXXX

Everything stilled as if the world was holding its breath in anticipation. Dread clawed at Bo as the Caretaker leered at them, not moving, not speaking. Numbness leached at her strength and left her feeling oddly defenseless. She wondered if that was her power leaving her body.

A poisonous smile spread across the Caretaker's face. Bo waited, her heart taking on a new, urgent beat as she sensed something was wrong. But she couldn't quite place what that something was.

Terror filled Bo as she watched the Caretaker turned to Lauren. Under his gaze, Lauren grasped her stomach and panted out small gasps.

Bo reached for Lauren as she dropped, her arm wrapping around her waist to keep her from falling to her knees. Her body tensed and her hand tightened on Lauren's side. "This wasn't part of the deal. Lauren was never meant to be hurt."

Lauren struggled to stand, and Bo helped her remain upright. "I don't know what's wrong." Lauren forced out. Each breath she struggled to take sent bursts of fire through her lungs.

Bo hoisted Lauren up, panic eating at the edge of her sanity. "No. Stop this, please. I made my sacrifice, just like you wanted."

Without taking even a second to think, Bo pulled Lauren toward the portal, but the Caretaker materialized in front of her, blocking their path.

"What is this dirty trick," Bo shouted, trying to give Lauren a meaningful look.

But at the same time, Lauren trembled and fell clumsily forward, holding herself up with her hands on her knees.

"What do you want?" Sobs wracked Bo's body in silent shudders as hot tears swamped her eyes. "Stop toying with me. What's the matter with Lauren?" She asked weakly and hung her head.

A finger hooked under her chin, and the Caretaker lifted her face toward his. "I never made any guarantees that I would release Lauren alive, only human. A dead human is still human. You should have negotiated a better deal. I win. You've failed completely. I want you to suffer, and wouldn't it be worse for you to lose both Lauren and your power?"

Bo felt the rage building inside her, a hatred like she'd never felt before detonated within her. She embraced it, beckoned it, knowing it would give her strength to do what needed doing. An uncontrollable impulse to rebel rose up inside Bo. She had to fight back. She flexed her hand, ready to attack.

She shot toward him at lightening speed and wrapped her hand around his throat, squeezing so tight his eyes bulged. "I think you forgot the part where I promised I was going to destroy you. And now I have nothing to lose."

They stood locked in a death grip with each other. Bo continued to push The Caretaker back to the portal, glaring into his eyes. He was stronger, but she was more persistent. She reached in past her weakened state, hoping she could stop him even with her power depleting.

When Bo slightly loosened her hold, he let out a short laugh. "There's that reckless spitfire I've been waiting for. You're as impulsive as a toddler and just about as intelligent. Your father would be so proud."

Energy from the portal skirted across Bo's skin as they hovered on the edge. "I'm going to send you straight to hell, asshole."

The Caretaker stared at her with frank surprise, like he couldn't believe she would threaten him. "You first." He said, his expression turning superior. "Push me into the portal and all will be destroyed. Are you so desperate to die? Don't be stupid."

Pieces of the Caretaker's hair and skin began to break away and drift into the portal as she pushed him closer to it. All Bo could hope was that The Caretaker was bluffing, that he was simply trying to fool her into not pushing him through the portal. At that point, all she wanted was to at least make the Caretaker pay for what he'd done.

Bo could hear the choked gasps as Lauren tried to breathe, and it sent doubt and fear coursing through her. Memories of her entire relationship with Lauren passed through her mind as if on fast-forward, in one unbelievable blink.

As she wrestled with the Caretaker, she focused on her love for Lauren and her strength began to bloom. She blocked out her doubt and basked in the knowledge that Lauren loved her more than she deserved.

With a last forceful squeeze, she used every ounce of strength she had left to shove him off her, pushing him onto the portal.

Fury twisting his face, The Caretaker grabbed at Bo, but she stepped away from his reach. Rays of bright white light shot from the Caretaker, filling the room and nearly blinding them. He shrieked with torment and fear until his body exploded in a ball of white light, and disappeared.

With a loud explosion the portal fragmented into nonexistence, nothing but a giant hole was left in the floor where the portal once was.

When the light faded, Bo looked at Lauren's face, alarm and devastation in her eyes.

They didn't speak, and for a few moments, there was only silence in the space while they tried to comprehend everything they had just seen.

Suddenly, a new pain overtook Lauren, and she screamed falling to the ground. Looking down at her arms curled against her chest, she was horrified to see the black streaks creeping up her arms.

"Lauren." Bo's voice called out, and she hurried over toward Lauren. Falling to her knees beside Lauren, she gathered her shaking body into her arms.

"It hurts so badly." Lauren shut her eyes as another wave of pain threatened to take her under.

Grimacing, Bo's look was completely devoid of hope. She glanced around at that world that had caused all her misery. Maybe sending the Caretaker through the portal hadn't been the smartest move. Had she failed Lauren after all?

Placing Lauren gently on the ground, Bo moved her hands to the sides of Lauren's head and took a deep breath. She closed her eyes, gathering her energy together. "Please forgive me." She was responsible. She had done this to Lauren. Bo realized her past mistakes had finally caught up with her. The Temple was going to make her pay for handling it so lightly. Her decision had truly meant their destruction.

Lauren offered her a soft smile through the pain. "There's nothing to forgive."

Leaning over Lauren's body, Bo covered her mouth with hers, trying to breathe life back into her. But nothing happened. The blackness creeping up Lauren's arms would not heal, or stop. She called to her succubus power, but again nothing happened.

Bo began running her fingers through Lauren's hair repeatedly and wondered if that would be the last time she would ever be able to do that. All the words she wished she could say to her were stuck in her throat. Unable to look away, she watched, petrified as the blackness crept up Lauren's neck.

"I can't heal you; I don't have my power," Bo said with a tortured sigh, sounding defeated.

Lauren's features relaxed, the pressure and pain inside eased for a moment. She placed a trembling hand on Bo's cheek. "I have a recurring dream, you know. I dreamed of a wonderful life in the future, being free, with lots of love surrounding me."

Bo could feel the rawness in her heart as she spoke, and she smiled as she pictured the same future. "That's a beautiful dream, and I'll make that my dream as well." Gently, she brushed Lauren's hair back from her face and kissed her lips tenderly.

Bo spent a few moments just holding Lauren in a haze of grief. "I don't know what to do," She told Lauren, letting several tears fall.

"What you have to do. You have to try again to open the portal." Lauren whispered through gritted teeth.

Bo stared at Lauren in confusion, seeing the tears that ran down her face and Lauren's trembling lips. "There's nothing left to do but get you home. Do it, Bo."

Bo swallowed, struck by the anguish on Lauren's face, and her obvious love for her. "Don't give up, please." Her desperate cry filled the cell.

Lauren looked intensely at Bo, every breath a struggle. "I love you," She whispered, wanting it to be the last thing Bo heard from her.

Bo took a shuddering breath, braced herself. She wasn't ready for this, wasn't ready to lose Lauren.

The dread knotting Bo's chest loosened, and like a switch turning on, she knew what to do.

After grabbing the key from her pocket, she linked hands with Lauren, the key secured between them. Their bond was the key to their escape, the only way out. Quickly, power wrapped around the key and shot through both their arms. It began to melt, the metal falling and dripping like wax to the floor. She gathered Lauren into her arms with her free hand. "Hold tight. I don't know what will happen."

Lauren wrapped an arm around Bo's neck, to hold herself up despite the pain.

"Ready?"

Lauren nodded, and Bo screwed her eyes closed, hoping for a miracle as she pressed their linked hands, and the melted key, onto the ground beside them.

In a few quick beats, there was an electrical zap and a hum. A green glow surrounded them, and they disappeared.

XXXXX

An overpowering sense of vertigo woke Bo. She opened her eyes groggily and realized she wasn't home, and Lauren was no longer in her arms. But she sensed she wasn't alone. It took her a few seconds to make out her surroundings. Finally, she saw herself. Her echo.

With her back turned to Bo, her double greeted her. "Hello, again."

"What…" Bo started blankly, her head twirled side to side, searching for Lauren.

Slowly, she turned toward Bo with a gentle expression, but her eyes held an ominous glint.

Bo stared at herself, baffled. Her thoughts were still bleary from crossing through the portal. She drilled her fingers into her forehead, struggling to maintain focus. "Is Lauren dead?" She asked, feeling like vomiting just by saying the words.

A warm smile spread over her face, but sadness clouded her eyes. "No, she's safe now."

Bo remained wary. She'd learned that everything had a price. "What's the catch?"

"I'm sorry to say, Lauren will have no memory of what took place here. The full knowledge of what happened here will be a burden for you to carry alone." The double paused and looked at her apologetically. "That is your last and final price to pay."

It took a moment for her words to sink in, and then Bo scoffed and rolled her eyes. The games never seemed to end. That was so terribly wrong. She was furious. "So, why I'm I here?"

"I wanted to talk to you before I released you." She said in an almost comforting tone, but Bo would take no comfort from her.

Dozens of unanswered questions kept Bo's mind spinning, but she decided to move things along and asked. "What about?" She tried hard not to let her tone get harsh.

The other Bo glanced around and gave out a long sigh. "You passed your last and final test. I grant you freedom, not damnation."

Bo eyed her curiously and then let out a bitter laugh. "What the hell?"

The double smiled again showing that she understood Bo's question. "Your readiness to face hard choices and the unknown, despite everything, demonstrated once and for all the kind of person you are. It revealed the sincerity of your heart, and character. Sending the Caretaker through the portal was the ultimate test. You could have failed by not expelling your fear, but you didn't. Above all, you looked within yourself, found your inner strength and embraced it. And you recognized that everything you needed to succeed, in the face of danger, has been inside you the whole time. Succubus or not. Now, you are truly worthy of passing your Dawning. No tricks, no cheating. You didn't shrink away from your sacrifice, and ultimately demanded to make the choice yourself."

"But that decision turned out not to matter because the Caretaker tricked me, and hurt Lauren."

"No, that's not correct. Even in the face of a hopeless situation you didn't give up. You used the conviction you innately possess, especially at the end. I know this is a lot to comprehend, but you passed all our tests. That's what's important."

Putting a hand on her hip, Bo gave her a sardonic smile. "Let me guess," Bo shot back, genuinely astonished by that reply. "All this was to teach me a lesson?"

"In a way, but more so to reveal your true self. Love is a mighty force that can motivate even the most hopeless of causes. You proved that. Very few would have done what you did, shown the courage you did."

The other Bo placed a hand on her shoulder, and Bo cringed at the touch. Bo said nothing, flatly returning her gaze.

The double stared at Bo for a moment, as if considering what to say before she spoke again.

"The greatest adversaries in life are often ourselves. It isn't until you faced your fear and doubt, conquering the obstacles placed in your path, that you truly found yourself. It is a true testament to your character that you willingly stepped up to make a sacrifice for another. And that is why you are now free from the Temple's revenge."

Bo's whole body sagged. The events of the last few days had sucked all the energy out of her. "Great I'm free, but why take Lauren's memories? She deserves to know the truth about what happened. She saved me, and she should know that. It's not fair."

"Very little in life is fair." The double said in a sorrowful voice. "Sometimes important choices force us into situations where there are no real winners, no perfect outcome."

"I call bullshit." Bo spat back, stepping away from her as she shook her head in disgust. "You're taking her memories to retaliate against us for beating your little game."

"You are smart enough to know this wasn't going to end without a price. Your Lauren is alive, and the only thing we ask in return is her memories."

Bo was growing very impatient, and she wanted at least one real answer. With a sharp glare, she pointed a finger at her double. "Who are you? Are you the Caretaker? Do you work for him?"

Wide brown eyes, her own eyes, scrutinized her, and Bo pretended to relax.

"That's a really complicated question. But think of me as a guide. No more. No less. My role was for you and you alone."

Bo rolled her eyes at the non-answer, though it didn't surprise her. "Damn you all. Let's get this done." She spewed in frustration, wanting the destroy something but only having words as weapons. "I want to get the hell out of here."

"I understand your frustration, but I am not your enemy." She quickly waved her hand to the side, and a door appeared a few feet away from Bo.

Bo lunged for it, afraid it might disappear if she didn't. She paused with her hand on the knob. "Will I return as a human or succubus?"

"You will return as your whole self. You will need your power to face what comes next. Dark looming clouds are threatening your future. You have a destiny you must meet. But remember these lessons as you face the next chapter of your life. It won't be easy, and if you're not careful, you'll lose everyone you love."

Bo nodded at the ominous warning, knowing her journey was far from over. Holding her breath, she swung the door open. She felt herself being pulled out of that world into the next. Just before she left completely, her guide spoke. Her voice was tired and maybe just a tiny bit sad.

 _"A piece of advice before you return to your family: careful who you trust. Someone is set to ultimately betray you and send you to the Wanderer."_

An instant later, with a harsh gasp Bo woke up in the Dal. After an endless, aching moment, she took in her first real breath. With her third and fourth breath she knew she was home, and alive.

Ignoring her lightheadedness, she braced her hands on the cold ground, got her feet under her. Taking a moment, letting her head clear, she sucked in a breath and pushed herself up. Her legs held, but she swayed like a drunk, so dizzy the Dal spun around her.

She stumbled forward, her goal coming into focus. She had to find Lauren. Had to know if she had returned as her guide had promised.

XXXXXX

About two days had passed before Lauren had enough of a grip on consciousness to awaken. She struggled to rouse herself, but everything in her head seemed so foggy. She fought to focus on the fuzzy images that floated in her sight, blinking several times to get through the cloudiness before her vision finally cleared. She was in her bed. She drew up and inched unsteadily to the edge of the bed.

Her movements stirred Bo. She stretched alongside Lauren and her arm snaked around Lauren's waist. "You're awake." She said, stating the obvious with a sigh of relief. "You should rest."

"If I sleep anymore, I'll be dead." Lauren's voice cracked from lack of use. Uneasiness streaked through her when she realized she didn't remember why she was in bed with Bo. Her mind began to race as she sought desperately to fill in the blanks.

Bo winced at her words, her arm pulled Lauren closer, and there was a slight tremble in her voice. "Don't talk like that."

Locating a glass of water, Lauren drank until the glass was empty. She could feel the weight of Bo's stare resting on her. "I feel so strange. I don't know why we are here, and I feel like I've lost days of my life." She glanced at Bo over her shoulder. She barely knew how to explain what was going on inside her. She was full of confusion and a sorrow she didn't understand. "What happened?"

Concern and exhaustion were on Bo's face as she studied Lauren. "What's the last memory you have?" She asked, guilt shooting through her because she already knew the answer.

Lauren glanced around her room and shifted through her hazy mind. Her thoughts bounced back to the day of Bo's Dawning. "You and Dyson entering the Temple."

Bo stared up at her, quickly trying to figure out the best way to approach the subject. "All right, but don't worry about that now. Rest." She said, instead of starting the long, complicated story.

Deciding not to argue, Lauren abandoned her thoughts of getting out of bed and snuggled in closer to Bo.

Bo nuzzled her face into the crook of her neck. "You never stopped believing in me, and you have no idea how much that helped me out. Without you, my fight would have been lost. Never give up on me, Lauren."

Tears welled in Lauren's eyes, and she found herself choked up and unable to reply. She wasn't sure what Bo was talking about, so she just relished the feel of her, too content, too tired to try and puzzle things out in her head.

As Bo continued to hold her, Lauren flipped over, so they were face-to-face. She sensed a shift in Bo but was unsure of exactly what it was. "You seem different."

Bo smiled, for the first time since she had returned. And as she gazed at her, she thought about everything they had been through together. "I am. I have a clarity that I've been missing for a long time, and things are going to be different now. Tomorrow will start a new chapter for us."

"What do you mean?"

The smile disappeared, and Bo tightened her grip on Lauren. "I should have spent more time with you, talk to you more, put your needs first, and shown you every day that I love you."

That response surprised Lauren. She had assumed Bo wasn't aware of the distance building between them, but she didn't want Bo to take on all the blame. "We both could have done more. We both had other things we were dealing with; it's not your fault."

"I don't know about that," Bo said, wishing she had given Lauren the attention she deserved on all levels back then, but at least she had the opportunity to change that. "Other things always get in the way, but that stops today."

Bo skimmed her fingertips across Lauren's cheekbone, each caress an act of worship. "Now, I'm going to play doctor, and you're going to let me care for you. I'll get you something to eat."

Lauren surrendered to Bo's wishes and nestled in closer to her. With Bo warm and solid next to her, Lauren smiled. Soon, she became fatigued and wanted to sleep, so she closed her eyes.

After a while, Bo returned with a tray of food for Lauren. She paced the room anxiously as she waited for Lauren to wake again. Bo had hardly spoken to anyone since her return, opting to watch over Lauren instead. She knew Kenzi was worried about her, but as Lauren slept again, she continued to keep an eye on her. Whatever happened next, Lauren was safe, and they were home. She planned to have a long talk with Lauren, and everyone else about everything that had happened. But it could wait.

Bo's mind flinched with a memory, a warning. Another thing she would have to deal with when the time came was the guide's cautions to her. But, at that moment, she was thankful that they had survived, that Lauren was there. Every breath Lauren took felt like a gift, and she was determined to make the most of it.

She could, and would face down the rest later.

 **XXXXX**

 **AN**

 **Next up: Bo confronts Dyson and Trick and helps Lauren with her missing memories.**

 **Thanks for reading and reviewing.**


	15. Chapter 15

After a week of watching over Lauren, Bo stepped into the clubhouse. Surprisingly, tears stung her eyes as she gazed around. It looked the same, and she was so relieved to be home. She hadn't expected to get so emotional about being there, but she couldn't seem to help it.

Standing behind the kitchen island, eating a bowl of cereal Kenzi grinned. "Welcome back."

Kenzi's casual, chirper greeting startled a laugh from Bo. With a broad smile, Bo walked forward, and Kenzi skipped up to her, meeting her halfway. She wrapped her arms around Bo, hugging her so tightly Bo could barely take in a breath. When she let go, Bo wiped at her eyes and started to touch things in the kitchen as she moved around.

"Hey you," Kenzi called out, watching Bo stalk around the kitchen. "You alright?"

"Yeah," Bo shrugged, fiddling with the items on the counter. "Why wouldn't I be?"

Kenzi crossed her arms and followed Bo around. "Oh, I don't know? The look on your face, or the fact that you were stuck in bizarro land for weeks."

Bo looked at Kenzi, and then lowered her head, frustration and anger heated her insides. "Lauren doesn't remember what happened, and I'm struggling with how to explain it all to her. It's all so overwhelming."

"I got that bit from our phone calls," Kenzi replied, stepping back to give Bo some breathing room. "But what else aren't you telling me? Remember your face is like an open book to me, you can't hide anything from me."

Bo stopped walking and rubbed the back of her neck from the stress on her shoulders. "Hearing the story from me won't be the same as living it, you know. I wish there were a way to make her remember what it felt like in there. She experienced a lot that I'm not even privy to, and those moments are just lost now."

Kenzi closed both her hands over Bo's shoulders, gave her a little shake. "Just start talking from the heart, you'll find the words."

Bo accepted Kenzi's advice, but she wasn't as confident that she would be able to really explain the situation to Lauren in a way that would make her understand. "Thanks for coming in there after me. Risking your life for me." She said, nudging Kenzi with her hip.

"Don't thank me." Kenzi walked away from Bo and sat on a stool, crossing her legs at the ankle. "Speaking of which, are you going to fill me in on what happened after Dyson and I got kicked out. I'm dying for the deets."

Bo had certainly spared a lot of details about what happened during her brief conversations with Kenzi, so it was understandable that she was curious with so many unanswered questions. She stalled and stretched her back as Kenzi's eyes bore into her. "I will, but I think I should tell Lauren first. It's kind of a personal journey between us, and it's important to me that she hears it first."

"Take as long as you need. Though curiosity is eating away at me, so I'd prefer sooner rather than later." Kenzi noticed Bo's grim face and her silence. "Lauren's not going to go away. Whatever happened in there, she'll stick around. I know I haven't always been Lauren's biggest fan, but I know she loves you."

Bo sighed, the all too familiar ache weighing on her heart as she thought about Lauren's missing time. She hesitated over whether to reveal what was bothering her. But she needed Kenzi's objective opinion.

"I'm not really worried about that. I just hate that she doesn't remember any of it. I feel like our relationship changed in there, for the better, and it's disappointing that she missed out on that growth. I feel like we're closer than ever, and for her, she's still stuck at a time when we were drifting apart. It's confusing."

"I know that you don't believe this now, but it will get easier, it will get better. I know how important Lauren is to you. And how important you are to her."

Kenzi's acceptance of her, no matter how crazy or weird her life got, made her realize just how lucky she was to have Kenzi in her life.

"Sorry for dumping all this on you."

"Don't you dare apologize for dumping on me, Bo. You can dump on me anytime." Kenzi clapped her hands together and started to dance around the kitchen. "Let's go out tonight. We'll find some club, put on some sexy outfits, work up a sweat. Dance and drink until we're ready to fall over, just like the old days."

"The old days?" Bo said with a chuckle, and Kenzi danced up to her. "Rain check?"

Kenzi grabbed her hands and swung her around. "You got it, but a bit of normalcy is exactly what you need right about now. In my professional opinion."

Laughing, they both collapsed against the island. Bo glanced at Kenzi, turning serious. "For so long, I never expected to have a friend, never mind one I consider a sister." She dropped her head to Kenzi's shoulder. "I really love you. I want you to know that."

"Oh, damn." Kenzi hugged her with one arm. "I'm going to get us some coffee before you make me cry."

As they drank their coffee and talked, laughter burst out of Bo. It felt good to laugh again. Really laugh. She planned on doing a great deal of it from that point on. She wanted to enjoy life, enjoy her friends, and her girlfriend as much as possible.

A sigh escaped Bo as their laughter faded, and she leaned against her friend's shoulder. "I don't know what I would do without you."

Smiling at Bo, Kenzi laughed again. "Have a whole lot less fun I'd say."

Kenzi's laughter made Bo smile. "Very true," Kissing Kenzi's cheek, Bo rose to her feet. "I'm going to grab some fresh clothes and head back to Lauren's apartment. I don't like her being alone."

"I know you need to be there for your girl." Kenzi stood, followed her to her bedroom, concern written on her face. "If you need to talk, call me, please."

"I will."

Kenzi paused at the doorway. "You're not alone, Bo. You haven't been since that day you saved me from that creep."

Bo smiled at her, a silent understanding passing between the best friends.

"Also, Dyson's worried sick about you. Maybe stop by the Dal and talk to him first."

The smile faded from Bo as she let out her breath. "Yeah, I will."

XXXXX

Dyson rushed forward and scooped Bo into a hug, nearly lifting her off her feet. "Gods, I thought we lost you. I've never felt so helpless."

Bo gave him a quick squeeze before easing herself out of his embrace. "I need some answers, Trick. Things aren't adding up, and I need to know everything."

Trick's eyes probed Bo as if trying to gauge her emotions. "How's Lauren?" He asked, shifting the focus off himself.

"Lauren doesn't remember what happened. She needs time." Bo said, but she was more determined in the fact she needed answers regarding Trick's role in what occurred. "Tell me the truth, Trick. Did you know Lauren would have to take a deal to enter the Temple?"

Trick was silent before answering.

"No." He said eventually.

Putting herself on guard, Bo folded her arms around her middle. "Trick." She pressed with more intensity in her voice. "Did you know she was walking into a trap?"

"What you have to understand is that we were dealing with an unprecedented situation. But to be honest, I feared there was a good chance Lauren would not be able to return, but she was prepared to help you, and she knew there would be risks. I could not sway her; she was resolute in going in after you."

Bo stared at him for a moment, and she tensed as he spoke. She unfolded her arms and let them fall to her sides. She didn't know if he was telling the truth, but she hoped he was. "No more keeping me in the dark about things. No more purposefully keeping the truth from me. I think I've proven that I can handle the truth." She said, her features showing a fierce determination.

More silence shimmered around them as Dyson and Trick exchanged a glance. Both were wondering what had gotten into Bo.

Trick focused on Bo, shaking himself out of the surprise from her words, and smiled. "You certainly have. I promise to keep nothing from you going forward." He said, breaking the silence. "But sometimes we have to do things we don't like to protect others."

"Well, I can't stay safe locked behind closed doors and half-truths." Bo bit out, angry that Trick was implying he intended to keep something else from her in the future. "If you want to protect me, then I have to know what's out there, so I can protect myself."

"I hope you know I would never do anything to hurt you. Not on purpose." Trick replied the strain and worry evident on his face.

"I really want to believe that," Bo said, and slowly paced back and forth while she spoke.

Trick tracked her movements. "Let me make you some tea; it will help you relax."

"I don't want to relax." Trick went to say something, but Bo cut him off. "Can we have a minute?"

Trick glanced at Dyson and then nodded his understanding as he stepped away to give them a moment to talk.

Bo stopped pacing and looked at Dyson as her anger started to rise. "You should have told me what being my hand during my Dawning would mean. The whole truth."

Dyson gazed at her feebly and rubbed his neck as he slumped into a nearby stool. "I'm sorry, Bo. I let my pride and protective instincts rule me when it comes to you." A slow grin spread across his face. "Wolves are very territorial and hot-headed."

"I deserve the truth about what you did during my Dawning." She said, challenging him and ignoring his attempt to lighten the mood.

The smile dropped, and Dyson looked at her in a way that seemed to question what she was asking. He moved uncomfortably in his seat and cleared his throat. "My head got mixed up in there, and when the Caretaker offered me a deal, all I could think about was being with you again. But I'm ashamed that I was weak and took advantage of the situation. But I thought that if I was different if we were different…" He trailed off and looked at her with puppy-dog eyes, an apology ready on his lips.

"Then maybe we still wouldn't have worked," Bo said, giving him a hard stare. She watched him intently for several seconds. "Even if Lauren weren't part of my life, you and I might never have worked out."

Dyson looked injured and stiffened slightly. "Sometimes I wonder where we wound be now if I had never given up my love to save you."

Bo dropped her hands, so they rested on his shoulders. "You can't keep looking back, getting caught up in what-ifs and maybes. That's no way to live. We both made our choices, and chose our paths."

Dyson was quiet for the longest time, but his eyes didn't leave her.

Bo took a slight step back and tilted her head to the side as she waited.

"I was content there, because there, I had you. I got to be with you once more, and maybe an irrational part of me thought somehow that would heal us, and we could have…" He rubbed at his mouth as if he were physically trying to stop the next words from out of his lips. "But everything we did together wasn't real. I feel like my heart is yanked out of my chest and slammed on the floor when I think that we don't even get to have another chance."

Bo needed Dyson to understand her feelings for Lauren, but she selfishly wanted him in her life, even knowing she couldn't give him what he wanted. She loved Dyson, but she also knew that love was different from what she held for Lauren. If she didn't make things clear with him, then she could end up losing Lauren completely. She realized in order for them to go forward, she had to risk losing Dyson. She had to set clear boundaries with him if she hoped to keep both of them in her life. She needed to truly shed the baggage of the past, and embrace the woman she wanted to be.

"Dyson, you're important to me, but if you want to stay friends, you need to respect my relationship with Lauren. I need you to understand that I want to be with Lauren." She paused and used a softer tone. "I let you go to be free and live your life. Find another love."

Dyson sat back, more than a little stunned by Bo's bluntness. "It's hard," He said, a low growl under his voice. "She loves you, but I love you too. How would you feel if you loved someone who didn't return your feelings? You never look at me the way you look at her with adoration, with love."

Bo could tell Dyson was taken aback by her directness. She felt a little bad, but it was necessary. She couldn't continue to give Dyson false hope; it wasn't fair to all three of them.

"I never meant to hurt you, but I think deep down you know that we were never meant to be, not like that. We work better as friends than we ever did as lovers. You know that, even if you can't admit it now. And my heart has made a choice, and I won't ever go against that."

Dyson turned away from the raw truth in her eyes. He let out a long, purposeful sigh before speaking. "I never want to bring you pain. I'm sorry for so much."

"Then be happy for me. Either you respect Lauren, or you can get the hell out of my life. I hope that's clear enough for you."

Dyson nodded, his shoulders hunched. "I see now the selfishness of my decision, and I won't stand in the way of the path you choose, and you care for Lauren, that's pretty damn evident. But it's my duty to keep you safe." He said quietly, but Bo heard the pain in his voice.

"I don't need a self-appointed protector, only a friend." Her voice rose in frustration. "I need someone to fight by my side, not shield me from danger. It's not as if I'm helpless."

Guilt and hurt flickered in his eyes, and he looked lost in thought for several seconds. "You're different. There's something different about you."

"Compared to what?" Bo huffed and stalked away from him. She spun around and glared directly at him. "Yeah, I'm different, but for the better."

A few minutes later, Trick walked back into the room drying a glass, darting his eyes back and forth between them.

"Lauren saved my life. We all owe her, even you two." Bo raised her voice to force her point.

Trick lifted his head so he could look at her fully, and Bo continued. "We need to prepare. Someone's coming after me, and I'll be waiting. But we'll need to stick together. We're all on the same team; it's time to put aside any differences amongst our group." She stared at both of them. "Have we reached an understanding?"

Trick gave her a smile and a small bow.

Dyson had a strange look on his face. He didn't look angry, but he didn't look relaxed and happy, either. "We're one big happy family." He said at last.

XXXXXX

Lauren had been looking forward to getting back to work. She always loved, even needed, those moments of total focus when the world dropped away except the problem in front of her. In that place of complete concentration, she didn't have to think of anything else. Science had been the best excuse in the world to ignore her own problems. As her frustration grew over her missing memories, she'd relied on that excuse once more.

Slowly, Lauren felt like she was getting into her old groove, and she felt like her old self again. She hunched over the tablet, her long hair pulled up into a sloppy ponytail. She absently toyed with the pen in her hand as she tapped at the display with her other hand.

Involuntary memories filled Lauren's mind, kissing Bo, Dyson and Bo entering the Temple. But what happened after that? Why couldn't she remember anything else?

Lauren swiped her fingertips across the tablet looking at her research, craving the distraction of science. Breaking down a problem systematically helped her ward off any negative thoughts hovering at the edge of her consciousness.

A knock on the door made her heart jump.

"What are you doing up?" Bo asked as she opened the door.

Lauren stared at Bo as she laid her hand on her chest.

"Are you okay?"

"A body under stress discharges a surge of epinephrine and norepinephrine, which increases heart rate, and creates a boost of energy. Its the body's way to increase the probability of survival, by giving a person increased strength and speed in anticipation of fight-or-flight…"

"So no?" Bo asked, with a half laugh.

Lauren bit her lip and looked at the floor. "You startled me that's all."

"Oh, sorry. I brought you breakfast. You need to feed that genius brain of yours." Bo flipped open the top of the box in her hands as she walked toward Lauren.

Lauren peeked inside; it was full of different pastries, and an amazing scent drifted to Lauren's nose.

"You look so deep in thought when I walked in. I know something's going on in that mind of yours. What's up?" Bo said though she had a good idea about what Lauren was thinking about.

Lauren stared at Bo, and then poked through the box of baked goods, and selected a chocolate cannoli. "I need to get back to work. I had too much time, too much time to think. I've run my mind in circles, to think of a way out of the situation."

"Sounds like you're back to your old self," Bo said, swiping a bit of cream from Lauren's lip, and then licking it off her finger.

Lauren swallowed the rest of the cannoli, and then sidestepped Bo, and went to wash her hands. "You don't have to worry about me so much. I know you have a lot going on."

"I'll never stop worrying about you. That's the way relationships work." Bo set the box down, leaving the rest of the pastries untouched.

"I know, and I do appreciate it, but…"

"But nothing. You now have a more attentive Bo, so get used to me hovering a bit."

Lauren smiled as she dried off her hands. She was having a hard time distinguishing between the old Bo and the new. She seemed so much the same but just more present when they were together.

"What are you working on?" Bo asked, her arms coming around Lauren from behind.

"A few things." Leaning her head against Bo, she sighed heavily.

Bo spun Lauren around, so they were face-to-face. "Like what?"

"Memories are essentially a series of synaptic networks forged through neurotransmitters locking into receptors. And when the synapses between neurons break, the memories they hold evaporate along with them…."

Bo grinned slightly when Lauren trailed off and smiled at her. "Are you trying to get your memories back with science?" She paused, thinking that through. "Can you do that?"

"Memory is very complex, and subjected to a number of confounding variables," Lauren said pragmatically. "I've spent a lot of time pondering over my missing memories, and the best way to get them back." She stopped, and a thought struck her. "Perhaps I could try hypnosis or meditation." She looked away, chewing on her lip. "I'm a little overwhelmed right now. I have absolutely no idea how to deal with this."

Bo moved Lauren closer, her face softening. "That makes two of us. I love how you think of all the angles of a problem, and we'll try it all. Science, hypnosis mumbo-jumbo, whatever it takes." She leaned in and kissed Lauren. "I want to help you get your memory back somehow. What can I do?"

Lauren stood taller, her face morphed from distressed to determined. "Tell me what happened, don't hold back even if it was something bad."

Bo regretted that Lauren had her time in the other reality stolen. But there were no do-overs. No take-backs. It was time for her to deal with the hand they'd been dealt. The best thing Bo could do was to start talking and hope that hearing the details would jog Lauren's memory.

She explained everything she remembered about her Dawning and sparking the Temple's revenge. She sighed at herself when she reached the part about Lauren entering the reality and coming in after her. She tried to explain Lauren's part but her explanations were getting all jumbled. She was surprised Lauren understood any of it.

Bo paused and looked deep into Lauren's eyes, hoping for any sign of recognition, but not even a flicker passed.

Lauren took it all in and digested it, nodding every so often. "So I was a cop and Dyson was a doctor. Strange." She said, trying to understand what Bo had just told her.

"Yeah and that's where this story gets more complicated," Bo said on a sigh, tapping her legs as she sat on a stool across from Lauren. She knew she was making a mess of explaining the weird shit they had gone through. She had hope hearing some of the details would trigger something, some memory or feeling.

"You don't remember any of this? Not even just a little inkling?"

"No."

The snap in Lauren's voice surprised Bo.

Lauren turned her back on Bo and walked away, tears filled her eyes, despite her trying to keep them back. Slowly, she finally looked around at Bo.

"I don't want to be angry with you. I hate that I even am, but I don't remember. You remember all of this, and I know nothing. It's so goddamn frustrating to have a piece of my life taken away from me. I want to remember everything, not just hear the events from your perspective." She blinked a few times, and her face softened. "Not that I don't believe you're telling the truth, it just doesn't feel real."

Bo looked at her for a long time as she stood with her chest heaving up and down as she tried to rein in her emotions, and she knew she was struggling with the confusion and anger welling up inside her.

Bo walked over to where Lauren stood. She practically crackled with tension, and she didn't know how to help. The whole situation was fraught with elements she had no control over, and neither did Lauren. All she knew was that she wanted very much to at least distract Lauren for a while.

"It's a lot to take in. Maybe we should take a break."

Lauren knew sometimes she was too dependent on Bo's strength, but facing such a confusing time, she was thankful for it. "I'm glad you're helping me. I'm glad you're here. I'm sorry for getting upset."

Bo dropped a kiss on Lauren's lips and stretched it out for a moment before moving away. "You don't have to apologize to me. Not for this." Bo's eyes held concern and care. "Don't suffer in silence. Unload on me if you need to."

Lauren leaned forward and whispered into Bo's ear lingering for a moment, so her breath tickled Bo's neck. She felt Bo shudder at the feel of it as she slid her hands to Bo's hips. "I think we need to go have a quick power nap, don't you think?"

"No, I'm not tired," Bo said as she leaned back to look at her, and then she saw Lauren's face and knew that sleeping wasn't really on Lauren's mind. "Oh, never mind. I'm exhausted." She took a step backward, pulling Lauren with her. "So damn tired."

XXXXX

Sprawled on top of Bo, bare skin to bare skin, Lauren took in a shaky breath. Every sweaty inch ached, in an astoundingly pleasing way. The passionate moments over the last few hours had managed to wipe away the brutal sting of her lost memories, erasing it from the forefront of her mind.

Under her, Bo let out a satisfied sigh, her mind a fog of pleasure.

Lauren started to slide off her, but Bo's left hand spread across her back and held her in place. "Where are you going?"

Smiling, Lauren kissed her shoulder. "Nowhere."

Bo's hand moved over her back, fingers lazily tracing her spine. "I can't shake the feeling that you are still sad."

"I'm not sad. I just feel stuck. It's confusing because I know I was the one in there with you, but I feel disconnected from the experience like it happened to a different person."

"And I understand. I do." Bo brushed her hand through her hair, gentle, soothing. "I wish I could fix this all for you."

"I know. It'll be fine. We'll figure it out." Pushing herself up, Lauren slipped over Bo's equally sweaty body to kiss her. Bo trapped her there as she returned the kiss, fingers tangling in her hair as she extended the kiss.

Lauren had no idea how much time passed while they kissed. There was no rush as their mouths were tangled together in soft, incredibly slow kisses. Bo was giving her all of her attention, and Lauren fell more completely under the spell they were creating together.

Lauren ran her hands through Bo's hair before pulling up from the kiss. They laid in silence, with no pressure to speak and fill the void. It was important to take a moment for love and peace, for just them, to remind themselves why they fought so hard to be together.

"There has to be some way to uncover what I know. It's there. I just have to find it." Lauren said, hoping to sound surer than she felt inside.

"We've gotten through so much together; we'll manage this too."

Feeling better, Lauren tucked her head under Bo's chin. "How about we stop worrying about those lost memories for a while. I don't want to waste my energy on being angry over the memories I've lost. Let's focus on building some new ones."

Bo simply rubbed the length of her back, until she relaxed under the light, soft caresses. "New memories? I like the way you think."

Lauren's only response to that was to kiss Bo. She moved over Bo, lithe and impatient. Her body clamored for contact.

Desire ignited pushing all other thoughts away, Bo rolled them over and trailed quick kisses over Lauren's face, neck, and shoulder.

They gave into the need, knowing they both needed it, and they made love again, and again slow and achingly tender, but with reverence as they intimately explored each other's bodies.

XXXXXX

They decided Lauren should undergo hypnosis, in a hope that would help reveal to her what happened. There were no guarantees it would work, but there were very little downsides to trying. Either way, they needed to do something. It took two days to set it up. The delay came from finding a time when both Lauren and Trick were available, and Bo having to almost beg Trick for his help.

As Bo waited for Trick to get organized, and obsess over small details needed to create the perfect hypnotic atmosphere, she paced like a caged animal. She watched him adjust the lighting and move the chaise around, and it made her irritable and wound up.

"Hypnosis requires a minimum of distractions." Trick explained, adjusting the lights for the twentieth time.

Lauren came down the stairs, her mood bright and optimistic. She was happy to have a plan, and to get started. It felt good to take charge of her life and not feel like a helpless leaf dangling in the wind.

Bo gave her a quick hug and kissed her on the lips.

Following Trick's direction, Lauren settled herself into the chaise and eased against the back.

"Okay," Trick said, sitting next to Lauren on a chair. "Are you ready?"

Lauren glanced at Bo, who smiled reassuringly at her.

"Ready." Lauren closed her eyes, blanked her mind, all her focus on Trick's voice and her breathing.

"Close your eyes and take a deep breath from your stomach. Count back from ten, and imagine you're floating above your body."

Lauren followed the directions with ease; her mind focused on the next instructions.

"Breathe in and out slowly so the rhythms can synchronize and balance you."

After a few minutes of guided breathing, it became apparent to Bo that Lauren was definitely growing more and more relaxed. She hovered over Trick ready to intervene if Lauren needed it.

"I want you to go back," Trick said. "Back in your memories. Back to the day of Bo's Dawning." He allowed a pause as Lauren continued to take focused breaths. "Are you thinking about that day?"

"Yes," Lauren responded with her eyes closed, and voice perfectly steady.

"Do you see or feel anything after that?" Trick asked, with a gentle tone.

There was a long delay before Lauren spoke. "I don't know."

Trick searched her face, his eyes narrowed. "What do you see?"

"Nothing."

"Push, Lauren, push through it."

Lauren seemed to struggle with that, frowning despite her otherwise calm exterior. "No. That's all I remember of that. I kissed Bo, and she left me."

"That's okay. Anything after that? Any image or sensation?" Trick said, ignoring Bo as she stood over him.

"There's nothing."

"Try. It doesn't matter how vague it is. Anything you can remember. Anything at all."

Lauren's frown deepened. "I can't remember anything after that."

Staring at Lauren, compassionately, Bo's heart twisted as she felt Trick was pushing Lauren too hard. She opened her mouth to protest, but Trick caught hold of her arm, silencing her. She glared at him, hoping she could convey all her frustration. Her head snapped to Lauren when she spoke.

"I remember…I remember a face. A face looking at me. I can't see…can't comprehend very many details."

Lauren paused for almost a minute, and Bo's skin bristled with eagerness. "That's it. That's all there is." Lauren said finally.

"You're doing well. Just listen to the sound of Trick's voice and keep breathing." Bo encouraged, taking Lauren's hand. She watched with a look of wonder as she could see Lauren struggling.

"There's nothing there. Just emptiness."

Trick pressed on. "I need you to go past the emptiness. Go to the other side of it."

Lauren took a deep breath and tried to open the part of her mind where she had those buried memories. "I can't. It's blocked. I can't cross it. I'm not supposed to remember…"

"You can. I'm right here, and I promise nothing will happen to you." Bo said, and tightened her hold on Lauren's hand.

Lauren's brow drew together in concentration, letting Bo's quiet words fill her mind, repeating encouragement over and over.

"I'm there."

"You are?" Trick asked, sounding surprised. "What are you doing? Where are you?"

"I…I'm talking to a man."

That piqued Bo's interest, and she crouched next to Lauren. "Are you with the Caretaker?" She asked, cutting in and earning a glare from Trick. He mouthed for her to be quiet, and Bo sighed in annoyance.

"Yes." The frown on Lauren's face smoothed. "We're talking about the woman I love. I want to save her….I'm afraid because she's in danger."

Bo held her breath waiting for Lauren to speak again.

"Push further." Trick said with a firm voice.

Bo went to talk again, and with an impatient huff, Trick waved his hand.

"I can't. Something's blocking me." Lauren said levelly. "There's a black wall."

On and on it went, and with each step, Trick and Bo tried to push Lauren to go further, but Lauren couldn't get passed the blockage in her mind.

Inside her hypnotic state, Lauren could hear Bo's voice reassuring her, helping her to dig deeper into her unconscious mind, but she became too focused on the black wall in front of her. She felt the fear swamp her when she tried to reach out and push it with her hands.

But nothing happened. She couldn't get passed.

She fought to move and managed to press both hands on the wall. As she made contact with it, some memory flashed in her eyes, but it was blocked before she could get a better look. Everything about the scene felt surreal, and no longer seemed like a dream. She heard herself gasping every time she attempted to get through the wall. The dark gripped her, and she felt like she was getting engulfed into it.

"Lauren." Bo's voice filtered in, like a tiny beam of light in the darkness that threatened to swallow her. "Damn it, Lauren, wake up."

"Bo." Lauren's whisper scraped out of her throat, more breath than sound as she pried her lids apart. Bo's face gradually focused, she leaned over Lauren, one hand cradling her cheek, her eyes anxious.

"What happened?" Lauren asked, letting go of the panic that had built inside of her.

With Bo's help, Lauren sat up, shaking so badly she could almost feel it in her bones.

"You started screaming," Bo said as she rubbed Lauren's back, her touch helping to calm and ground Lauren. "And you were crying."

Lauren blinked at her, completely surprised by that. "That's not a typical reaction to hypnosis," She said, her heart still hammering from it all as her head tried to reason with it. "How long was I out?"

"It's been over two hours, Lauren." Bo shot Trick an accusing glare. "Why would this hurt her? I thought it was safe." She grabbed a bottle of water, and handed it to Lauren, her eyes still a little anxious.

Trick let out a massive sigh as if trying to expel the negative energy he felt around them. "The forces blocking her memories, apparently don't want her to remember, and are prepared to attack her mind when threatened."

Lauren took a few sips of water until her body refused any more. After she had set the bottle down, she met Trick's eyes. "I want to go under again."

Bo shook her head quickly, with eyes on Trick. "It's too dangerous. We need another plan."

"I want to try again. It's imperative that I go under again."

Trick gave them a look that was part inquisitive and part pity. "We can't try again, not today. Something went wrong."

"Thank you, exactly," Bo smiled slightly, but it didn't erase the concern in her eyes. "For now, I've got a glass of wine with your name on it."

Lauren felt a grin grow through the frustration. "I'm in. But Trick I want to try again. Tomorrow."

"You need to rest, to recuperate." Bo muttered through gritted teeth.

Nodding, Lauren didn't disagree with that. She knew it always hurt Bo when something happened to her. That was something she couldn't deny, but she needed her memories, and she couldn't deny that either.

"Tomorrow." Trick said, his voice a quiet, calm murmur.

Bo walked Trick out and then stood in front of Lauren. "Are you sure you want to do this? I think it's dangerous."

"Absolutely. The restoration of my memories is my number one priority."

Those bright brown eyes studied Bo, and she felt helpless under her scrutiny and determination. "Okay." She held out her hand. Lauren took it and smiled. "But I'm going to be by your side, and I'll end it the second you get in trouble."

"How am I supposed to say no to that?"

Bo's hands came up to frame Lauren's face, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "You're not."


	16. Chapter 16

Through hypnosis and meditation, the barriers to Lauren's memories, still locked behind the walls in her mind, were breaking down a little, but not all the way. Not completely. The few memories that returned were like dangling pieces of information, which she couldn't grab to examine. Attached to the scattered memories were feelings that were hard for her to sort through.

Strange dreams occasionally visited her. More like memories, but they didn't come often, weren't clear enough, leaving her wistful and gripping at the pieces when she woke. If the dreams were impressions of her memories, she clung to the possibility that she could reach them. Somehow. She just needed something, anything, to trigger those memories while she was awake.

She had feared that if she had suffered some brain damage she might never recover her memories, so she ran some basic tests like a CT scan and ruled it out. Maybe it was unwise to think science or human psychology could break the magic blocking her memories, but she was desperate. It was becoming demoralizing to hit so many roadblocks. But her negative emotions needed to be conquered, not indulged in, so she proceeded with her sessions with Trick.

Bo stared down at Lauren taking in the tranquil look that the hypnosis had given to her. She was lying on the chaise, her hands resting on her stomach and her hair flowing around her shoulders. She looked like she was asleep, but Bo knew she wasn't because she still answered Trick's questions.

It had taken several attempts to get her into the deep state she was in now. Trick had reassured Bo time and time again that she was safe. But they were pushing Lauren into a deeper dreamlike state than they ever had before, and she found herself growing more anxious the longer Lauren was under.

Trick was perched on a stool to the right of Lauren, guiding her through her memories. "No matter what you see, I need you to keep listening to my voice." He said, slowly. "Take deep breaths. You must drop your barriers, ignore any doubt."

Feeling restless, Bo dragged herself away and repeatedly told herself that Lauren would be fine. But they had been at it for hours, without any results. Leaning her head against the wall, Bo closed her eyes and thought about the other reality. She focused on Lauren, on her own memories, hoping somehow that would help Lauren. She knew it was ridiculous, but she just wanted to do something to ease the burden on Lauren.

Trying something new, Lauren had meditated before the session, hoping it would help break down the barriers between the conscious and subconscious, open her mind up more. Her limbs were heavy like they had lost all the feeling and when she tried to move, nothing happened. Instead of worrying about that she did as Trick said, concentrating on her breath, keeping it slow, steady and even. She moved into a rhythm, pulse calming, mind clearing, focusing on nothing but breathing.

After a few measured breaths, she suddenly felt lighter, and her mind drifted somewhere far away as Trick regressed her back.

Lauren browsed through her memories, trying to reach the hidden truths locked in her mind. Details. She needed to focus on details. Therefore, she latched on to what she did remember: the feel of Bo's lips against her skin when she kissed her goodbye, her eyes, the sound of the Temple sealing behind Dyson and Bo. She continued to concentrate on her feelings for Bo, hoping it would spark her mind.

Over the last few days, they'd tried hypnosis over a dozen times and Lauren always ended up in the same spot. There was nothing but pitch-black. No light reached her in that part of her mind.

"Where are you, Lauren?" Trick asked, and watched Lauren's face muscles relax and then tighten.

"It's too dark to see."

"Do you recognize this dark place?"

"Yes. I've been here before."

"If you're willing to try, push your way through that wall." Trick encouraged softly.

Steeling herself, Lauren fought against it, clawing and pushing until…

A faint break, a small crack. Memories nudged against the barrier that was erected around it, whispering through the cracks. An onslaught of images and emotions assaulted Lauren, but she couldn't make sense of any of it.

Lauren was so close. Pressure bombarded her, pressed down on her, the crushing darkness became too strong to fight, and all she could do was scream.

With a cry of twisted anguish, Lauren bolted upright, her eyes opening and focusing immediately on Bo. Gasping for breath, Lauren covered her watering eyes. Her heart thumped a thousand beats a minute as fragments of strange memories, and feelings filtered through her hazy mind.

"Dammit," Bo muttered under her breath, as she started pacing around the apartment. "I think it's time to try something new. This is getting insane."

Stretching her neck from side to side, and shaking out each of her limbs Lauren stared at Bo. "No, we have to try again." She pressed her lips together and crossed her right leg over her left. The longer Lauren was left without those memories, the more her curiosity amplified. "I overexerted myself; that's all."

"I've said many times that this is dangerous." Trick reiterated, standing and stretching out his muscles. "We're dealing with an unknown variable, and these stolen memories may forever be beyond our reach."

I know. Lauren wanted to shout. Instead, she leaned back and closed her eyes while Bo and Trick talked about her like she wasn't in the room. She forced all her emotions down by taking slow and deep breaths. Having someone erase her memories, dig into her brain, and give her nothing but a clean slate with no hint of what happened in the other reality made her feel like she was being controlled by an invisible being. She needed to remember. That time couldn't just disappear.

As Trick talked about ending the sessions, Bo watched Lauren with keen interest. She thought she should try and say something comforting or wise. But nothing. She couldn't think of a single thing to say. Lauren leaned forward with her elbows braced on her legs as she rubbed her temples.

"Are you alright," Bo asked, there was a hint of worry in her voice.

"Tomorrow will be better." Lauren's voice was distant, her mind was somewhere else. There was a long awkward silence before she added, "I really appreciate all your help with this." She said, speaking to Bo and Trick. "Whether all this works or not, it wouldn't even be an option without the two of you."

Trick cleared his throat, looking slightly uncomfortable at the acknowledgments. "I like a challenge. And your brain is definitely a challenge." He said his goodbyes and swiftly walked to the door. He turned back to look at Lauren. "Memories that actually matter don't exist in the mind, but in the heart. Remember that, Lauren."

As a scientist, Lauren found his words extremely unhelpful, but she smiled back and nodded her head instead of disagreeing.

After Trick had left, Lauren stood and walked over to her lab table. She flipped through her notebooks, all filled with her theories, hypotheses, and notes. "I need to be patient and give my brain time to recover." She frowned and wrote down little notes of what she remembered and felt while she was under.

Feeling inadequate to do anything for Lauren, Bo occupied her mind with observations of Lauren's lab. Until that precise moment, she hadn't realized that she had never really taken the time to just look at Lauren's surroundings. She wondered what Lauren's life was like when she wasn't around. How difficult it had been for Lauren to be thrust into a world that wasn't her own with no one she knew or trusted. How she felt when she was alone in her home, her lab, which was more like a cage. Lauren was technically owned by the Light Fae, so what did Lauren think about when she laid down to sleep at night, knowing that when she awoke the next day she would still be in her prison?

Bo heard Lauren sigh and watched as she mumbled to herself while fiddling with the ends of her hair, which were draped over her shoulder. There was a cloud of tension hanging over them. Bo wasn't sure exactly why, but she guessed it had everything to do with those damn missing memories. Bo realized that it was the little kinks, the small cracks that could eventually destroy the vitality of their relationship if they let it. She didn't want any clouds hovering over their relationship. She wasn't going to allow that to happen again. Lauren was too important to her. She decided that Lauren desperately needed a distraction. They needed it.

Fixing a smile on her face, Bo walked over to Lauren and gave her a once-over. "I'm taking you out tonight."

Lauren looked up and regarded her thoughtfully. "But-" She started to protest.

Bo lifted her hands to stop her. "No buts, I want us to build some of those good memories. Let me take you on a proper date." She stretched out her hand for Lauren to take it.

When Lauren placed her hand in Bo's, she squeezed it gently. "Okay," She answered, and Bo smiled in response. "What did you have in mind?"

XXXXXX

They had driven to a small fair and were spending their date perusing the carnival life. Playing games and spinning around on a few rides, just taking time to be together without the drama of the Fae world surrounding them. Bo didn't want Lauren stressing over her memories, and Bo was trying her best not to obsess about the warning she had received from her doppelgänger in the other reality.

Lauren stood next to Bo in a red and blue plaid shirt with sleeves that went to her elbows. She even sported a legitimate western belt buckle and a pair of boots. Bo, on the other hand, was wearing her usual black leather and knee high boots, not that Lauren minded. There was a slight breeze, and she lifted her head to let it catch her hair. She closed her eyes and breathed deeply. She was having a great time, and suddenly the cares of the world didn't seem so bad. At the sound of the game attendant's voice, her head came back down, and her eyes flew to Bo.

Bo took the weighted beanbag in her hand, eyed the pyramid of milk bottles, and stepped back. It sailed from her hand and landed right on target. On contact, all the bottles fell backward effortlessly.

"Whoa," Lauren exclaimed, wide-eyed. "Nice shot."

Bo leaned in and planted a warm kiss on her cheek. "I grew up in a small town with a lot of festivals, so naturally, I'm good at carnival games."

Lauren hid her smile. "And being Fae with superior hand-eye coordination, and strength probably helps as well."

"That too." Bo laughed and gave Lauren's shoulder a slight tickle with her fingertips.

"Here you go." The game attendant handed Bo a four-foot tall, stuffed pink elephant. Bo gave it to Lauren, who already held a massive unicorn from another game.

Done with the games, they joined the throng of people wandering around. Lauren held Bo's prizes tightly against her as Bo reached out and laid her hand on Lauren's lower back. The whole area was buzzing, screams and laughter could be heard from all around as people enjoyed all the rides and attractions. Several children ran by them and pointed excitedly at Lauren's stuffed animals.

Then, the thick aroma of every kind of junk food imaginable hit them as they walked passed the food trucks lining the walkway. They walked by several trucks of 'deep-fried anything," before Bo honed in on a cotton candy vendor. With a bright smile, she guided Lauren over to it. A few minutes later, the vendor handed Bo the huge blob of pink cotton candy on a stick.

They separated from the main bustle of the crowds and straddled a hay bale by the carousel so they could eat their snack. Dusk was falling, and Bo gazed up at the pinks and purples of the sky that were blending with the carnival lights. The atmosphere was perfect, unspoiled by all the things they had left behind at home. She felt bubbly inside. Carefree. Who would have thought a simple date at a fair could have been so much fun?

Lauren took a piece of the sugary pink cloud and stuck it in her mouth. The sticky snack dissolved almost instantly leaving a trail of sugar on her lips and tongue.

Bo's gazed zeroed in on her mouth. Her eyes gave away what she was thinking. "You're a sexy eater." She whispered, still staring at Lauren's mouth as she licked the candy off her lips. "I never realized that."

Lauren's lips slid slowly into a wicked grin, and she popped in another piece. Quickly, she stuck her tongue out, as the billowy sugar melted away to nothing on her tongue, leaving a trail of pink behind.

Bo laughed as she watched Lauren. It was a nice treat to see Lauren's lighthearted, silly side surface. It was a rare sight, as they always seemed to be tangled up in one crisis after another.

Bo pulled some pink fluff off the stick and held it up for Lauren expectantly. Lauren parted her lips and watched Bo's eyes take in the movements as she snapped the cotton candy up in her mouth, Bo's fingers and all.

Lauren closed her eyes, and her tongue licked at Bo's fingers as she pulled her mouth back. She opened her eyes to find Bo's. The deep brown were potent with a desire to match her own. Lauren's gaze dropped to Bo's mouth. Time slowed, and Bo started to lean forward. Out of nowhere, a three hundred pound clown bumped into Lauren's knee, startling her. He continued to waddle away without looking back or even bothering to apologize. Lauren glanced back to Bo and burst out laughing at the absurdity of the moment.

The natural sound of Lauren's laugh warmed Bo inside, and before Lauren knew it, Bo pressed her lips to hers. When Bo pulled back, she pursed her lips, tasting the mixture of Lauren's lip-gloss and the sugar.

Lauren grinned at her, but she suddenly seemed somber, like she had something on her mind. She swallowed and said, "Bo, I appreciate having this date tonight, but I'm sure you have other important things to be doing than babysitting me all the time."

Bo dug her hand into the cotton candy and bit off a piece with the other half still in her hand. "No, I don't. It's nice to do something together that doesn't involve a case or crazy Fae stuff."

Lauren considered Bo's statement carefully, thinking about everything they had been through together. "It is nice." She agreed and plopped another piece of cotton candy into her mouth.

"I'm not going to let life just pass us by and make excuses anymore. You're my girlfriend, and I want, need to spend time with you. And all that Fae BS can wait for a while." She smiled at Lauren and kissed the tip of her nose affectionately.

"Unless there's an apocalypse," Lauren joked feeding into Bo's enthusiasm and the light atmosphere of their date.

"Good for us, I don't think the world is ending tonight." Bo teased in return, flashing Lauren a wink.

"But trouble seems to find us wherever we go." Lauren laughed, but the look in her eyes told Bo she was only half-joking.

"All the more reason to enjoy the peaceful moments."

Silence fell, and Lauren straightened up from the slouch she'd fallen into and tore off another piece. She stared at the couples, and families that were walking by, and absently put the candy into her mouth. Since she was distracted a piece of fluff was left dangling out of her mouth.

"You're such a mess," Bo said indicating a trace of cotton candy hanging out of Lauren's mouth.

Without hesitation, Lauren turned to face Bo and licked the bit of candy off her mouth, slowly.

"I am happy to be away from everything for a night. It's like we're an average couple. But things aren't simple for me," She glanced away from Bo, while she traced her fingers over the grooves of the silver pendant lying between her breasts. "Or for us." After a depleted sigh, she spoke again. "But none of that matters tonight."

"I'm generally not very reflective," Bo placed her hand over Lauren's, which was holding her necklace, "But I will say that you are important, Lauren. You matter to me, and to other people as well. I don't have any answers to all the stuff that lies before us, before you, but I know, with time, we can figure it out. I'll help any way I can to get your memories back, and, if you want, freedom from the Fae. I'm here for you, and I'm not going anywhere."

They were quiet for a while, both lost in their thoughts. Crickets chirped, echoing from the hidden places along the ground. Soon, the song of the crickets drifting into her mind overpowered the sounds of the rides around Lauren. The noise slid through the cobwebs in Lauren's mind, and reminded her of something, but she couldn't quite reach it. She closed her eyes and focused on remembering. A strange fogginess filled her head. Then, there were no crickets chirping or carousel sounds. There was only silence. An eerie, strange silence completely at odds with where she was. Somewhere in the distant parts of her mind, she began to hear a jumble of other strange noises, which sounded nonsensical to her ears. Nevertheless, the sounds inside her mind tightened her chest.

The sounds around her returned to normal, and Lauren's body shook, then the pressure was gone. Her eyes flew open in alarm, and she found Bo looking at her. Bo's eyes were filled with concern, affection, and tenderness.

Bo's hands rested on Lauren's shoulder. "Are you alright?"

Forcing herself, Lauren smiled, a little weakly, and focused on Bo's beseeching eyes. "Yeah, I am. But I remember crickets in that other world. Is that correct?"

Bo's eyes lit with hope. "You remember?"

"No, I don't remember," Lauren admitted, noting the light in Bo's eyes dimming. "It was more like a feeling, but no memories were attached to the noise, but I just knew somehow that I heard crickets in the other world."

"Well, that sounds like progress to me. You are starting to kind of remember without hypnosis."

They smiled quietly at one another for a long moment, and then at the same time glanced over their shoulders. Two grade school children walked over to them and talked animatedly about the stuffed animals sitting beside them.

"Dada says those games are impossible to beat," The little girl told Lauren. "We can't win any prizes."

A smile crept onto Bo's face as she listened to Lauren talk to them.

After a few moments, Lauren gave Bo a sidelong glance. "You know I'm very busy and don't have time to take care of these," She said to the kids, gesturing to the stuff toys. "Would you like to take them? I bet you would give them the lovely home they need."

The kids began to jump up and down with pure enthusiasm and nodded. With a wide smile, Lauren offered the stuffed animals to the children. They took them into their arms and hugged them tightly before they thanked Lauren and skipped off back to their parents.

"That was sweet," Bo said in Lauren's ear before kissing her temple.

XXXXXX

Not long after, the couple trekked the dirt-covered terrain toward the bright flashing lights of the Ferris wheel erected in the center of the carnival.

"Want to take a ride," Bo asked, wiggling her eyebrows up and down.

"I'd love to." Lauren said, taking Bo's hand and leading her over to the line that wrapped around the large machine.

Once they were at the front of the line, Bo handed the attendant their tickets and waited for Lauren to get into a big swinging blue bucket with the number five plastered on the back.

Inside, they felt the ride crank them around. Bo put her hand on Lauren's knee as they were lifted into the air. The wheel rotated slowly, only the faintest breeze hitting them as it moved.

Smiling, Lauren picked up the last piece of cotton candy, and brought it to her nose. She inhaled the sugary smell, just as she did a memory of her as a child with her brother at a local festival immediately entered her thoughts. Her smiled faded, and she stated, "Scent is supposedly the strongest prompter of memories."

Bo studied Lauren's profile as Lauren gazed regretfully into the distance. "You don't say. And what does cotton candy remind you of?"

"Nothing good," Lauren slipped the candy into her mouth, and dusted the sugar from her hands. "Until now." She added, turning to smile at Bo. "Good memories can always replace the bad."

Bo held Lauren's gaze for several drawn-out seconds, trying to figure out what was going on in her mind. But before she could ask, Lauren reached out and pressed Bo's fingers on the spot between Lauren's eyebrows.

"Do you feel that?"

Bo nodded, her brows pulled together and her eyes gained an intense focus on Lauren.

"It was once believed that spot is the entry point for our unconsciousness, a portal through which we can access our memories." Lauren let her fingers linger there for a moment and then dropped her hand, and so did Bo. "Ancient cultures believed that we all have a third eye deep in our brains. Some alleged that it controlled memory, and when you awaken the dormant eye you enter a state of higher consciousness. For those in that place dream and reality are all but one. Of course, today, we know that's the pineal gland, which produces melatonin, the hormone that affects the modulation of sleep patterns."

"I'm always down for a learning moment but I'm not sure I'm following." Bo said, sounding divided between amused and curious.

"Sorry, my mind's a little scrambled," Lauren murmured, her eyes fixed on a faraway spot. "With too many thoughts."

After a few rotations, the ride crawled to a stop leaving them at the very top of the ride looking out across the carnival. Bo's arm landed across Lauren's shoulder, and she sighed contentedly, gazing out across the night sky.

Feeling rejuvenated, Lauren let her mind wander. She leaned closer into the warmth of Bo's touch, and an idea swished into the recesses of her mind, forcing her to look at things in a different way, a way in which Bo could help her.

"There's another important aspect of memory-emotion. The most vivid memories tend to be tied to powerful emotions, and I might be able to use that to unlock my memories."

Curiosity piqued, Bo turned to look directly at Lauren, the bucket swung slightly with her motion. "How?

"I want to try something else. I got the idea from you, actually. The easiest and most effective way to stimulate an intense emotion is, well…" Lauren raised her eyebrows and smiled.

Bo looked confused, and then her eyes widened with understanding. "You want to try sex. Use sex to get your memories back." She tilted her head, feeling intrigue and a combination of hope and apprehension. "How would that work? Maybe you've forgotten but we've had sex since we got back and nothing."

"Not sex exactly, but think about how your powers work. Through your touch you can put someone in an aroused state, and use that to influence behavior. But more so, your power is a catalysts for increased responsiveness in the mind, and you create your own hypnotic pull." A quick smile flashed across Lauren's face before it retreated under a tense mask of seriousness. "This time I want to use your succubus power."

"I certainly don't mind trying. But I'm not sure how it will help."

Lauren grinned, her eyes glinting with such intense intelligence that it was almost startling to Bo. "The body's natural reflex is always to protect itself. In fact, people's minds do it all the time, blocking out traumatic events and such. I can't get passed that barrier in my mind, and when I try I always get pulled out. It might simply be too much, and my mind locks me out as it switches into protective mode. I need something to give me an extra push."

As Bo thought about that, the ride started to move again, taking them on their last rotation. "So…how will I help with that?"

"I want you to use your succubus touch as I try to get past the wall inside my mind. Your touch amplifies passionate feelings, and emotions are tied to memories, so it's not too great of a leap to hypothesize that using your powers as an extra boost would help me regain access to my mind. Basically, we're going to immerse my body with emotions from your touch to invigorate me long enough to get through the block in my brain."

That suggestion immediately was a bit jarring for Bo to hear. "This sounds a little farfetched, you know that? You're talking about me juicing you up with my power, which is essentially an aphrodisiac. I know you're much smarter than me, and all this is your specialty, but what makes you think it will even work?"

Lauren's eyes were fierce, holding a glint of both apprehension and resolve. With a heavy exhale, she searched Bo's eyes, back and forth. Back and forth, again a few times. "I have a plan, Bo. Don't you trust me?"

Offering Lauren a small smile in return, Bo gave her a quick nod. "Yes. I'll do whatever you need me to do."

XXXXXX

They were walking to the car when they came across a decorative fountain. Jets of water shot high into the air, tilted in various bright colors. Exclamations of delights sprang from several kids as they danced around excited to play in the water. The kids looked so happy, so free. They weren't chained down with the problems of the world, didn't care about anything else but the pure joy of the moment.

Wanting to experience that joy and freedom herself, Bo glanced at Lauren and tugged at her wrist. "Come on."

Lauren hesitated but Bo slipped off her shoes and jumped up on the stone edge and then into the shallow pool of water. She trudged through the cool water that came up to her knees. She felt joyful and ridiculous all at the same time, laughing she spun in a circle under the stream of rushing water. Around her children jumped and played under the spray of water with her.

Lauren waited at the edge with the fountain splashing in front of her, eyeing Bo with a wistful look in her eye. Bo waded through the water toward Lauren. She stopped in front of Lauren, her tank top suctioned itself to her skin. Droplets of water streaked her face, her hair was dripping wet. Opposite her, Lauren looked prim and proper, her hair perfectly in place.

Grinning, Bo swiped the water from her face and moved closer to Lauren while she reached out her hand. Indecision flickered through Lauren's eyes, and Bo gave her an encouraging look, holding her palm face up. She knew how hard it was for Lauren to give into frivolity at times, but she wanted her to know that it was okay to have a little fun, to remove her own chains and have a few moments of silly joy.

Lauren stared into Bo's eyes and slowly removed her shoes and diligently rolled up her jeans to her knees. After she had straightened up, she lifted her hand to Bo's, and their fingers locked in place, and Bo squeezed.

Lauren didn't remember ever doing that before, but she shrugged off her inhibition, tossing them to the side as she followed Bo into the water. Slightly embarrassed by what she was doing, a self-conscious laugh escaped her. Lauren called out from the sharp cold of the water pelting her skin. She held her hands over her head in a lame attempt to keep her hair dry. Catching Bo's eye, she let go of her wariness and twirled in the spray of the fountain.

For a long time, they danced in circles, making complete fools of themselves, but not caring what anyone else thought. After all, that night wasn't about being sensible, it was about having as much fun as possible.

Lauren looked up into the stars, flung her arms wide open, and spun in a circle, laughing until her sides hurt. She paused under the water, pure joy radiating from her face, as she met Bo's eyes.

Happiness billowed up in Bo as she gazed back at Lauren. She had given Bo so much over the years, and Bo wondered if she hadn't given her enough in return. But there, playing in the water, Bo was able to give Lauren something very precious. Freedom. In some small way, she had helped to set her free. Maybe just briefly, but if nothing else, she had been able to give her that moment of freedom.

 **XXXXX**

 **AN**

 **Sorry about the wait for an update. I'm like 80% sure the next chapter will be the end.**

 **Thanks for reading and reviewing.**


	17. Chapter 17

Lauren had always been drawn to science. She knew that intellectual curiosity was her most notable trait. She lived most of her life trying to figure things out, finding solutions to the world around her. Why was she so compelled to answer every question, solve every mystery? Maybe she couldn't help it. Perhaps that instinct was buried deep inside her double helix, hidden within her cellular blueprint.

Before getting pulled into the Fae world, she had a deep conviction that everything in the world made sense because of science. She always felt everything could be explained with science if you looked hard enough for the answer. But that belief had been shaken when she learned that a world existed outside those rules. That had knocked her out of sorts. Suddenly, not everything in the world added up. It wasn't only the loss of freedom that had changed her since living with the Fae; it was also the loss of the foundation of everything that she believed in. But like most humans, she had adjusted to her new existence and found a way to go on within the world around her. In reality, she didn't have much choice with that. She had to adapt and she did, for the most part.

She prided herself on being able to solve problems that baffled others. And when she failed it cut her deep. On a personal level failure, not solving a riddle, that wasn't something she could easily handle. Even when she had no control over her life, she could always count on her mind, on her ability to answer questions with her Fae knowledge or with science. Her IQ was off the charts, and if she couldn't think her way out of something, then what value did she have?

She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to shake off those stormy thoughts.

When facing a problem, Lauren always started out simple. The first step to mastering any subject was understanding the basic mechanics of it, and building knowledge from there. In her experience, when facing a complex problem, the answer often laid in unscrambling the complexities and focusing on the elementary elements, essentially looking at the bedrock of the situation.

With that in mind, she looked at her situation in simpler terms. The limbic region of her brain was a set of constructions positioned on both sides of the thalamus, and it supported behavior, long-term memory, emotions, among other things. It was tightly tied to the brain's pleasure center and firmly linked to the prefrontal cortex. The interrelationship of the brain was why she believed that by sending her pleasure center into hyperdrive, with Bo's touch, her mind would snap and twist, and unleash her memories.

She was fairly confident her plan would work, but there was never any guarantees. It was a long shot for sure, but one she was willing to explore. She knew firsthand that with high intellect sometimes came a great ego, and being overly confident in her plan wasn't wise. Besides, they were working with Fae magic, not just human biology. And she knew that when dealing with the Fae there was no single set of rules.

Working with Trick, so far, all Lauren had were fragments of messages, of memories, and she didn't know how it all fit together. As a result, she could think of nothing else until she tried one last time to recover what she'd lost. She needed a way to break through whatever was blocking the passageways in her mind. The only thing she knew for certain was that her brain wouldn't let the mystery go easily.

Lauren heard Bo coming down the stairs, pulling her out of her wandering thoughts. Snap out of it, Lauren, she scolded herself. Focus. As quickly as her long-winded reflections had come, it faded.

XXXXX

It was difficult to tell what time it was in the day, considering the drapes were closed. And without the aid of the dim light in the corner the room would have been in complete darkness.

In only a bra and underwear, Lauren took a deep breath and settled into a comfortable position. Her gaze sought Bo as she moved over her, her warm eyes fixed on her and her alone. There was love in her eyes. Love in the deepest, purest form. In truth, Lauren occasionally had doubts about Bo, about their love, about herself. She had lingering worries that made her feel as if she wasn't enough for Bo. But since returning from the Temple something had changed between them. They were more open with each other, more present. And the doubts of the past were dwindling for Lauren.

Bo schooled her expression to hide the nervous feelings gnawing at her. Was her subconscious trying to warn her something was wrong with this plan? "I feel a little weird about this," She admitted, keeping her gaze locked on Lauren.

"Don't," Lauren looked up at Bo and framed her face between her hands. "Just focus on me. We can do this. Together we'll be stronger than as individuals. I have a good feeling about this plan."

Bo's eyebrows quirked, and dimples appeared in her cheeks as she suppressed a grin. "I thought you scientists types went by facts and figures, not by gut feelings."

Lauren grinned back briefly, then they both lost their smiles.

Lauren told her softly, "Instincts can also be important. All I ask is for you to trust me. Can you do that?"

Somehow, the determination in Lauren's eyes grounded Bo. Another smile formed on Bo's lips, and she gave a quick nod. Lauren had loved, fought and hurt alongside her, and she knew that their connection was real. She loved Lauren, and she needed to believe in her. Even if she thought her plan was a little crazy. "I'll give you a little push when you need it, but the rest is up to you."

Lauren closed her eyes. To rid herself of anticipation and doubt, of fear, she focused on her breathing. She inhaled deeply, a jolt filling her when a familiar scent hit her senses. Bo. Knowing the olfactory sense was the closest shortcut to memory the brain had, Lauren took another breath. She kept breathing in and out, taking in a piece of Bo's scent with her as she did. The room stilled. Time seemed to slow down as Lauren got herself into the proper state.

Bo shifted, straddling Lauren's legs, pinning her to the back of the chaise. She did her best to mimic Trick's words. "Alright, Lauren." She began softly, slowly. "Think back to my Dawning. To what you remember about that day."

As if on reflex, Lauren felt her body relax as she unwound her memories of that day as she had done many times before, latching on to what she did remember.

"What do you see?"

Lauren kept her focus on Bo and allowed her words to flow over her. Her mind traveled back to the not-too-distant past. "I see you and Dyson entering the Temple."

"What happened after that?" Bo questioned quietly, her fingers swept through Lauren's hair.

Holding onto the tether that was Bo's voice, Lauren tried to reach further forward. Memories swirled around her, swimming around like in a strange cloud. Quick flickers of images crowded her mind, confusing her, but she tried to make sense of them nonetheless.

"Who suggested you follow us into the Temple?" Bo asked when Lauren didn't answer.

Bo's voice was a bit more distant, but just as persistent in Lauren's mind, which was hovering between the conscious and the unconscious.

Bo repeated her question. A pressure steadily built inside Lauren, making her mind feel as if it was being squeezed and restricted. "It was Trick, or maybe me…." There were only splotches of information, nothing connected or coherent. "Maybe both…Someone needed to go in and help you…"

"Where are you now?" Bo prompted after Lauren trailed off and didn't continue.

Although Bo's voice was faint at that moment, it was warm and reassuring as Lauren strained as best as she could to figure out her location. All of a sudden, all the light dissolved around her leaving her in total black. Frustrated and a little afraid, Lauren remained still in the dense darkness of her mind. "I can't see anything," Her lips parted, and she whispered. "I can't move."

"Do you feel anything?" Bo asked, changing the course of her questions.

Lauren's chest rose and fell faster and faster as if her intuition was speaking to her on another level. The pressure in Lauren's mind grew stronger, and she struggled against it, tried to force a connection with her memories. Instead, an icy wave of trepidation washed over her. There was no immediate, impending danger, but it seemed close somehow, like it was hovering near her, breathing down her neck. Her chest continued to rise and fall steadily; she breathed out, "Fear."

Bo pressed her face into the side of Lauren's throat and felt her pulse galloping like a runaway horse. She knew it was time to try and soothe Lauren so that the fear wouldn't pull her out. She moved one hand up on Lauren's cheek and landed it gently against her soft skin.

The warmth that flowed from Bo's hand, where she had touched Lauren's bare skin, took away her fear. The effect of her touch was instantaneous, every cell came alive, her skin tingled, her muscles tightened. Endorphins swamped her body and pushed all thoughts out of her mind. The only thing that mattered was Bo. Being touched by Bo. Overcome by the carnal sensations running through her, she moaned and tried to find Bo's lips.

A voice echoed in her head. Bo's voice. _Lauren, where are you now?_ That broke through the sexual fog in her head. She snapped back from her arousal and reclaimed her focus. Different images spun past, a disjointed and convoluted mess of information. A sound rang in her head, deafening and painful, and suddenly, she felt a charge in the air. There was a presence with her. A person. She turned and saw a man standing and watching her. The Caretaker Lauren guessed. "It's working." She told Bo as a cold filled her chest.

With that encouragement, Bo used her power again. With her lips pressed against Lauren's forehead, she sent another shiver of pleasure that skated over Lauren's skin, and moved deep into her body.

Seconds later, Lauren's gut clenched hotly, and the sexual haze rolled back in. It shot straight to her core, ballooning out, filling every inch of her. Lost in the heat of Bo's touch, the cold feeling in her chest drifted into the distance. The desire for Bo pressed in on her, threatening to block out reason. She felt her concentration slipping, but she clamped it down.

Inside Lauren's head, another memory stirred, ready to pull her in. She caught a glimpse of a strange room, and she saw herself talking with the Caretaker. Fear that something bad would happen to her overwhelmed her. And her heart began to pound in a fast rhythm against her chest. On the heels of that memory, Bo's face came into view. She said something, her voice incoherent to Lauren. She reached for Bo, yearned to go to her. Bo needed her help. She was in danger and she had to help her. Emotions linked to Bo hit her hard. The feeling was so vivid it made all other emotions, like her fear, pale in comparison. But then, Bo's eyes turned black and her voice became The Caretaker's booming laugh. In a blink, she shifted into smoke and disappeared. Fear shook the foundations of Lauren's mind, nearly pushing her awake.

More pleasurable heat radiated from Bo's body, curling inside Lauren's stomach, and then lashing out in a burst of arousal. It was intoxicating, drugging, addicting and incredible. Every bit of her wanted to be touched and caressed and ravaged. Her skin burned, her body didn't just want Bo. It demanded her. A euphoric haze filled Lauren's brain again, and her focus shifted back to her desire and away from her mission.

Meanwhile, Bo watched her face as Lauren's body arched up and she made a sound that was purely sexual, husky, and needy. Bo ran her tongue along her lower lip, moistening it, and she couldn't help taking in the sight of Lauren's obvious arousal. Belatedly, she realized she was breathing hard staring at Lauren and getting turned on herself. Inwardly, she scolded herself for her preoccupation with her own needs as she scaled back her desire and gave Lauren what she needed.

Bo sent another pulse into Lauren, and Lauren cried out something breathlessly as she dug her fingers into Bo's shoulders. Lauren panted and her hands moved greedily over Bo's skin. Unexpectedly, she shuddered, pressed her lips together as another wave took her.

Lauren seemed to be struggling for relief and Bo was dying to help her, to comfort her someway. An unsettling sensation filled Bo as she feared she might be overloading her. She pulled back slightly.

As if reading her thoughts, Lauren whispered. "Don't stop. It's okay. The memories are there…I need more…"

Another tremor of heat rippled through Lauren, warming her veins with its vigor. She was better prepared that time and willed herself to stay focused on the world within her mind. Like a lightning bolt, the scene shifted. Lauren almost felt like she was pulled from one world to another. A memory opened to her suddenly, she was lying on her back in the middle of a gym, her eyes on Bo. These memories often came while she was under, but she rarely got further than that. Bo's warm breath and words fanned over her face, encouraging her to keep going. Galvanized by Bo, she felt stronger than ever before. Safe. She was safe with Bo. She wouldn't let anything happen to her. She could push herself to her limits with Bo's help.

After an inordinately long time, Lauren was standing in front of the protective ward in her mind, which was caging her memories. Desperate, she reached out for anything to grab on to. But her hands found nothing but the restrictive force of the invisible wall. A frenzied panic swelled inside of her, but no matter how much she fought, she couldn't break through what was holding her back. Her mind became a tug of war, her own consciousness struggling against itself. The urge to scream became greater as the back and forth continued.

Sensing Lauren's distress, Bo kissed her nose and whispered. "Relax. Just feel." The contact sent more tingles of desire building in Bo. She fought the thirst that plagued her, filling her body with the greedy need to feed from Lauren, to take her in every way. She sucked down a hard breath and clawed back into control because no matter how fiercely she wanted Lauren right then, she couldn't. Exerting every ounce of her self-control, she forced that urge away and focused on providing a safe, calming energy for Lauren. "Keep your eyes closed and just feel."

Lauren heard Bo's voice, as clearly as if they were face-to-face. With an exquisite ping of adrenaline, Lauren let Bo's power fuel her, drawing from it the clarity she needed. Bo's presence was everywhere. Strength and vitality flowed into her. Lauren breathed in and badgered the wall with everything she could muster.

But the pressure increased as soon as she tried to break through. Everything crescendoed inside her, terror, a sense of doom connected to the realization that she was trapped there. Voices seemed to come at her through a tunnel, the echo reaching her in waves. One second she could hear them, and the next, they disappeared entirely into the dark. The thick blackness intensified, with it an unbearable fear, which almost pulled her into the void. A scream built in her throat, but nothing came out.

Bo's body released more energy into Lauren. And more. Deep within Lauren's core, something snapped. A jolt of calm broke through her fear. Bit by bit, Lauren found her connection to Bo again. Her words, and voice grounded her against the panic rising inside her. She repelled the impulse to wake herself up, to fall into the darkness.

Then she heard Bo's voice once more. _"Come on, Lauren. You can do this."_ Gathering her strength, her confidence she slammed into the wall, willing her legs to feel more like steel and less like jelly. As she forced herself through, the pain began immediately, but at first, it was barely noticeable. Without warning, a snap of pain lashed up her body, wrenching a cry from her lips. Her mind was putting up one hell of a fight.

Bo responded quickly with another pulse of heat through her. Amid the pain, energy strummed through Lauren, weaving up and down her spine. Everything swirled in her mind, fragments of thoughts and emotion until one truth hit her with a pang of clarity. She was in control of her own destiny. She had the power to release the chains around her memories as long as she didn't succumb to the fear. Unlike all the times before, she wouldn't let her fear hold her back. She was stronger than that. She was tired of being controlled. Tired of being afraid. Tired of feeling weak.

Inside her mind, free of all fear and doubt, Lauren's body obeyed her commands as she held her head high and continued moving into the darkness. As soon as she crossed the final barrier, she was hit with a blinding light as she dove into the depths of her memories. The dark recesses of her brain filled with colors, emotions, smells, thoughts, words, recollections of the past. Information sped through her in a fraction of a second as the closed off parts of her mind sparked to life. It seemed to shift and realign. And just like that, she felt whole again.

Looming over Lauren, Bo gaped at her, watching as her eyes blinked a few times before completely opening.

When Lauren finally looked up, her eyes were heavy-lidded, her mouth parted as she sucked in little gasps. Her entire body vibrated with the powerful torrent of hormones, which Bo had dosed her with. She was too far gone with arousal to speak, or think. All she cared about was Bo easing the insatiable need inside her.

Lauren knew Bo was feeling the same sexual energy as she read the raw lust in her glowing blue eyes. Minutes ticked past as they both remained still and stared at each other, breathing heavily onto one another's faces.

Blood pounded in Bo's veins, her muscles were tight. She wanted to touch Lauren everywhere at once but held herself back. She stayed where she was, frozen, while her body almost trembled with unrelieved tension.

With unsteady hands, Lauren gripped the back of Bo's neck and tipped her head down, bringing their lips together. She groaned and curled her tongue around Bo's, wrapping her legs around her, pulling her closer. It was a kiss that was all need and desire and heat, scorching heat.

The moment Bo touched her everything slowed. Her body relaxed. Her racing heart decelerated. When Lauren pleaded, breathlessly, for her to make love to her, she followed her lead and returned the kiss with the same sexual hunger.

XXXXXX

Bo got dressed while her gaze followed Lauren's movements in the next room. Lauren hadn't said a word about what happened. When she woke up, they had sex before Lauren got dressed and went to the kitchen for a glass of water. Bo's decision to give her some time didn't give her the strength to keep her eyes off her, though. It was like she was trying to understand what happened based on Lauren's movements. But if things had gone poorly during the hypnosis, giving Lauren too much time to think might only make things worse.

After pulling on her pants, she strode barefoot into the next room. Lauren stood in the kitchen against the counter, drinking a glass of water, one ankle crossed over the other. But she didn't speak. She seemed introspective, lost deep in thought.

Bo hesitated, and then moved closer, standing only a few inches from Lauren. Her expression turned expectant and curious. "How are you feeling?"

Lauren's head snapped to attention like she hadn't noticed Bo there. "I'll be fine." She sighed with exhaustion, and put the glass down. "It's just a lot to take in at once."

Bo settled her hands on Lauren's shoulders and hoped she didn't notice the slight tremble in her body. She was still too worked up over everything that had happened. "So, it worked, you remember?"

Lauren nodded, a half smile graced her lips. "So many crazy things happened in there. I can hardly believe it's real."

Bo put her hand on her face and gently rubbed her soft skin with her thumbs. "I'm sorry about all this," She said, stroking Lauren's cheek. "For dragging you into this mess."

Lauren swallowed hard, under Bo's gaze. Bo had the purest and gentlest heart, and had risked everything to try and save her in the Temple. Bo truly loved her, and she had done what she could to save her. And Lauren remembered it all.

"You didn't drag me into anything." Lauren moved her eyes over Bo's face with gentle deliberateness. "I chose to go inside to help you. And I wanted to try and get my memories back. It wasn't your fault."

"We'll have to agree to disagree on that one." Bo said after dropping her hands to her sides. "I admit I was freaking out a little. I didn't think it was working."

Lauren wrapped her arms around Bo, drawing her close to her, so her front pressed against hers. "Things looked pretty bleak in there, but you were my guiding star in a sea of darkness. I felt connected to you on the other side. I felt you there with me, and I knew I was safe to continue."

There was so much feeling behind those simple words, and it seemed to reach into Bo's chest and squeeze her heart. Emotion welled in her throat, but she pushed it back. "Feels weird, though. I feel as if I should have contributed more."

"You were everything, Bo." Lauren squeezed her, firmly, to make her point. "Everything I needed."

"Yeah, well," Bo said after coughing away the threat of tears. "And you were everything I needed in the Temple." She studied Lauren's face, threading her fingers into her golden locks. "We outsmarted them as a team. I'm glad we made it through all this together."

"Me too," Lauren said with passion as her eyes bore into Bo's.

Before Bo could say another word, Lauren caught Bo's mouth in a demanding and delicious kiss, one that almost melted Bo. She leaned into it, sought more of it. She angled her head and moaned as they kissed deeper. Heat flashed over her skin as she thought about how good Lauren had felt against her skin only a few minutes ago.

Breaking the kiss, Bo pressed her forehead and nose against Lauren's; her panted breath matching Lauren's as they held one another. Silence fell between them, but it wasn't tense or uncomfortable. It was natural. Merely a pause so they could both enjoy the closeness of their bodies.

"I want to tell you some things for your sake, not mine." Bo drew back to gaze at Lauren as she spoke. "It's something I think you've needed to hear for a long time."

Lauren nodded slowly, darting her eyes back and forth between Bo's.

"Don't look at yourself through others' eyes. The ones who can only see such small parts of you. I see all of you, all those pieces. When I look at all those pieces together, I see your strength, your kindness, your wisdom and your intelligence."

Lauren dropped her gaze down and bit her lip as she listened to Bo. There was a deeper meaning behind her words, and that touched her deeply. Bo was telling her that she understood her, that she saw all sides of her, that her mistakes didn't define her.

Bo gently guided Lauren's face up to look into her eyes as she added, "You're a genuinely good person. You were exactly the right person to save me from the temple, really from myself. Words aren't enough to thank you."

Lauren was too overwhelmed to speak for several moments. She looked at Bo and toyed with her words, trying to get them perfect. When she finally found her voice, it was strong. "Even when we were at our lowest point in the Temple, you had so much heart, so much courage. You offered your succubus in exchange for my life. I think that's one of the bravest," She shot her a half smile. "And dumbest things I've ever seen anyone do."

"I would make the same decision all over again if I had to. I'll protect you with my life, if I have to."

A serious, thoughtful frown etched on Lauren's face. After a moment, the creases softened, and she grabbed Bo's face to bring their lips together. Then she kissed Bo with everything she had.

XXXXXX

It was first thing in the morning when Bo returned to the Clubhouse. Kenzi had always been there for Bo whenever she needed to talk things through, and she always kept her secrets. She knew that would never change, and she was eager to catch up with her friend.

"Hey, I can't believe my bestie's here," Kenzi said as she walked into the room without the usual skip in her step. "Do you still live here?"

"HaHa." Bo pulled off her jacket and tossed it onto the back of a chair. "Yes. Sorry I've been AWOL, but…"

"Yeah, yeah the girlfriend." Kenzi cut in with an exaggerated eye roll.

"I have good news," Bo told her, returning Kenzi's eye roll with a smile.

"Ah, Lauren's got her memory back." Kenzi hazarded a guess. After taking a much-needed sip of coffee, she looked up at Bo. "That's good news."

"It is. I'm so relieved. Now we can put this whole Dawning mess behind us."

"Yay," Kenzi raised her glass. "To our dearest Bo, and the longest Dawning in the history of the world. And to copious amounts of drinking."

A corner of Bo's mouth lifted just slightly.

"That last part was for me," Kenzi smirked and winked. "Well, how did Lauren get those memories back." She slapped her hands on the counter like a drum roll. "Fill me in."

"Trick's been working with her for awhile. It's complicated." Bo said, opting not to offer up the specifics. It was a long story, and she didn't want to get into it. Not when she had another problem to face. Since Lauren had her memories back it was time for Bo to put her energy into figuring out what her double's warning had meant.

"It always is with you ladies." Kenzi poured Bo some coffee and slid the mug across the counter. "Especially Lauren."

Bo caught the mug but didn't pick it up. "What does that mean?" She said, studying her eyes as she tried to determine what Kenzi was implying.

"I like Lauren, I do. And I know you two are in love and all. But to say Lauren's complicated would be the largest understatement like ever. We've known her for years, but sometimes I still think we barely know her at all." She wrinkled her nose and thought for a moment. "I've never met somebody with as many secrets as her. Remember Nadia? Even her secrets have secrets."

Bo's face instantly hardened. That was an unexpected low blow, which angered Bo. "What happened to Nadia wasn't Lauren's fault." She pointed out, confused about Kenzi's attitude toward Lauren. Just days before Kenzi had been completely supportive of her and Lauren and she couldn't understand what had caused the change.

"I know," Kenzi said, sighing heavily. "I just mean the girl is secretive."

Bo narrowed her eyes and tilted her head to the side. Being best friends meant all the filters between them were stripped away. At times, that was a wonderful thing. Other times, it wasn't so great. Particularly, when it came to Lauren. "We all have secrets, a past."

Bo's vaguely harsh tone didn't faze Kenzi as she said, "Yes, but Lauren doesn't share any of her past unless her hand is forced. Next thing we'll find out is that she has an evil twin out there."

Bo's lips flattened, and she scowled at Kenzi. "I can't really blame her for being guarded. It's not like she's used to being surrounded by people she can trust. It's easy to forget, but Lauren has been claimed by the Light Fae as property for years. I can't say I'd have done the same things in her place, but I also can't say I wouldn't have. Don't judge her when you haven't lived her life. Everyone has their own story." The thought that Kenzi was back to being hostile toward Lauren deepened the scowl she was wearing. "I thought you and Lauren were getting along now. What changed?"

Kenzi thought on that a second and then answered, "We are. I don't mean to be catty. She's the most intelligent person I've ever met, and more than a little uptight, a bit anal…obsessively focused…bossy….somewhat of an ice queen…"

Bo let out a terse sigh. "Kenzi, what's the point you're trying to make?"

"Buuuuuut considering everything the Fae put her through, it's impressive that she can even manage a smile. I guess I've never taken the time to put Lauren's situation into perspective."

"Lauren saved me in the Temple." Bo gave her a scrutinizing look for a long moment. "She risked her life and she saved me."

"You would have found a way," Kenzi said with a nonchalant shrug. "You always land on your feet."

Bo huffed with indignation, not liking Kenzi's re-writing of what happened in the Temple. Kenzi's version of events was far from reality. The truth was Lauren saved her, she knew that. "Don't be so sure." She told her flatly.

Kenzi laughed, rolling her eyes. "Please, Bo, you're the one who rejected the light and the dark but landed on your feet, anyway. The one, who freely dates a human when it's forbidden. The one, who time after time, defies the odds and still lands on your feet. No matter how many times you put yourself on the line, you always get results."

"I don't expect you to understand what happened in the Temple between Lauren and I," Bo said, irritated because Kenzi wasn't getting it. "A big reason I got out alive was Lauren. I would be stuck in there right now, thinking I was Dyson's girlfriend if Lauren hadn't helped me. Don't discount the role she played. You both helped me and it means a lot to me."

"I respect Lauren for going into the Temple. That took some real courage, but don't sell yourself short. You would have figured something out."

"She saved your life in there, or have you forgotten." Bo countered immediately, her eyes never wavering from her face.

Comprehension flashed across Kenzi's expression. She bowed her head, remembering how Lauren had pushed her out of the way of the car and saved her. "I didn't forget."

"Just stop being so hard on Lauren. She's been an outcast in this group for too long. That stops now. We're in love; we're unbreakable, she's not going anywhere. You're my family Kenzi, act like it."

"When you're right, you're right," Kenzi said, and then her expression turned inward and reflective for several seconds. "Maybe, I don't know, but maybe I get a little jealous when you're spending so much time with her, and then I lash out at her. It's immature and I'll stop doing it."

Bo's mouth worked, then she pressed her lips together and nodded, believing Kenzi at her word. But she felt compelled to add, "You don't have to be jealous of Lauren. You'll always be special to me, no matter what."

"Yeah, yeah. Best friends for life and all that." Kenzi looked Bo in the eyes and tried to convey how sorry she truly was as she said, "I woke up feeling a little lonely and left out. I'm sorry I took that out on your girl."

"It's fine." Bo smiled at Kenzi and she smiled back. "Anyway, we have bigger things to worry about right now."

Smile fading, Kenzi's eyes flickered over Bo with concern. "Meaning?"

"We have to figure out who's going to betray me." Bo took a deep breath and told Kenzi how, in the temple, her double had given her a warning about a betrayal.

"Tamsin," Kenzi stated after thinking about it for two seconds. "She's the only option. She's got some serious shifty eyes in between her bitchy glares. She totally fits the profile of a double agent."

Bo grinned at her friend, the weight of her situation lifted by something so familiar as talking with Kenzi. She grabbed her shoulder and kissed her cheek. "You can be incredibly insightful sometimes; you know that?"

"I do," Kenzi said, knocking her hip into Bo's.

"Whatever Tamsin's up to, I'll stop her."

XXXXX

"Oh," Lauren said lamely after opening the door. "I was expecting Bo."

"Sorry to disappoint, no succubus loving for you." Kenzi winked and gestured up and down her body. "Are you going to invite me in?"

Grinning, Lauren stepped to the side, and Kenzi walked into her apartment. She moved past Lauren and scanned the room, not saying anything.

"What brings you by?" Lauren shut the door.

Kenzi lifted a shoulder and let it fall. "Bo told me you got your memories back."

"I did," Lauren answered an inquisitive frown in place.

"I'm happy for you."

Kenzi moved around the room, and Lauren watched her expectantly. She appeared preoccupied with something. And given the drama of the last few weeks, she assumed Kenzi had some bad news, some new evil on the scene threatening them, so she prepared herself for the worst. Kenzi's silence and not knowing why she was there, made dread seep into her body. "Is Bo in trouble."

"Succubus talk is off limits. I'm not here about Bo 'the drama never ends' Dennis."

Lauren relaxed and berated herself for her overreaction.

"I just wanted to apologize to you. For a long time I judged you, and, maybe, I was a little bitchy to you. I've had a big chip on my shoulder when it comes to you, and I'm sorry about that."

Kenzi's words surprised Lauren. She hadn't been expecting that at all. "You're protective of Bo. I get it, but I do love Bo also." A small smile tugged one side of Lauren's mouth. "There's room in her life for both of us."

"I know," Kenzi said, fiddling with the equipment on Lauren's workstation. She picked up a jar off Lauren's lab table, turning it over and over in her hands. "What's this?"

Lauren bit her bottom lip, glancing between Kenzi and the jar. She hoped she didn't drop it. "Its boring science stuff."

"Why do you like sciency stuff so much?" Kenzi asked as she bounced the jar from hand to hand.

Gently, Lauren took it from Kenzi and placed it back in its spot. "Science is how we improve the world. The world needs scientists. People who are curing diseases, inventing technology, making everyone's lives better…." Lauren paused and frowned at Kenzi. "Any particular reason you're asking?"

Kenzi shrugged as she played with the dials on Lauren's microscope, making Lauren grimace slightly. "I think we should become friends. It would be nice to talk with someone who can empathize with being a human in this crazy Fae world."

Lauren's fingers subconsciously rubbed the necklace around her neck. "I thought we already came to an understanding when we fought those pigmen together."

Kenzi started opening and closing the drawers around Lauren's lab table. "It was a start, but I want us to be friends, and not just because you're my best friend's girlfriend."

"I'd like that," Lauren said, meaning it. Kenzi was always full of energy and optimism, operating within the Fae world with bravery and charm. Admittedly, Lauren found her immature at times, but she supposed they could learn a few things from each other, and she was open to building a friendship with her, outside of Bo.

Kenzi picked up a candy bar from the drawer and glanced at Lauren. "You keep candy next to your mad scientist experiments?"

"I find that sugar helps me think."

"Okay…I totally get that." Kenzi volleyed back with cheerful easiness. "Can I have one of these?"

"Sure. Have whatever you want."

Kenzi's eyes were wide as she tore into the package. It made Lauren chuckle when she closed her eyes at the pleasure of eating the candy. There was no one else in the world like her, Lauren was sure of it, and she welcomed her positive energy into her life.

"Well, let's hang out." Kenzi pointed the half eaten candy at Lauren. "So, what does the Queen Frigid like to do for fun anyways?"

Lauren sat on the couch, and Kenzi joined her, folding her legs up underneath her. "We could watch Star Trek," Lauren suggested, watching for Kenzi's reaction.

"Ugh, really Lauren? You're a Trekkie? You really are an enigma." Kenzi looked amused as she spoke. "I prefer Star Wars. I've always thought of myself as the Hans Solo to Bo's Luke."

"I don't see it," Lauren replied, deadpan. "I picture you more as a JarJar Binks type."

Kenzi's head fell back, and she chuckled. "You do have a sense of humor. It's nice to see."

"I think we've both been operating under, and interacting with each other based on, our initial superficial impressions of one another. Without getting to know the person behind it all. And our interactions until this point have rarely deviated beyond Bo."

"Is that Lauren speak for we both judged each other too quickly?"

Lauren nodded. Her grin was immediate. More than ever, Lauren had realized how much she needed more companionship in her life than just Bo. And she was grateful for the effort Kenzi was putting in.

"Now is as good a time as any to test the sharing waters with each other."

"Starting with Star Trek?" Lauren injected a measure of lightness into her tone.

"Okay, but I'm going to need vodka to get through this," Kenzi spoke with a straight face and then she smiled.

XXXXXX

The Dal door burst open, and Tamsin sauntered in. "What do you need help with now?" She announced, voice loud and blasé. "I'm going to start charging you by the hour."

"Sit down, Tamsin," Bo said in a sharp, clipped tone. "I need to talk to you."

Casually, Tamsin sat on a stool and crossed her ankles. "Wow, you're in a bad mood. Is the doctor not putting out?"

Bo's expression soured. "I need some answers."

"About what?"

"Who sent you." With her eyes on Tamsin, Bo paced back and forth. Her boots clacked against the hardwood as she studied her for a long moment. "Who's after me?"

Tamsin's eyes narrowed, she rose to her feet and took an aggressive stance. "What are you babbling about?"

"Who?" Bo demanded, fighting the urge to throw Tamsin across the Dal, and physically get the answers from her. "The Wanderer…whoever the hell that is…who sent you?"

Tamsin's expression slammed tight, while a muscle flexed in her jaw. "I don't know what you're talking about." She denied quickly. "I've defended your back many times. I helped you save your best friend, remember? You have some serious trust issues, huh?"

Tamsin stared at Bo as if she was trying to figure out her next play, and Bo stared right back. Bo knew Tamsin was the one her double self had warned her about in the Temple. She could feel it in her bones. She looked at Tamsin for any signs of subterfuge and found clear deceit in her eyes.

Bo was two seconds away from punching Tamsin in the jaw. "Cut the bull crap, Tamsin." She spat out eventually. "I know you are the traitor. You have a lot of explaining to do." Her eyes blued, and her blood hummed in her veins as her anger grew. "If you keep the truth from me, it will be one of the dumbest things you'll ever do. The longer you wait to tell me, the worse the consequences become."

Silence.

Bo stared across the Dal, not looking at Tamsin. "I had no idea you were so completely heartless." As she spoke, Bo turned the full force of her glare on her. "Congratulations, you've fooled me. You truly have no honor."

Silence.

"But then, how could I expect a woman with no heart to care about honor, friendship, family..."

That seemed to get through to her. There was definitely sadness in Tamsin's expression, but relief as well. She averted her eyes and looked away from Bo. "Yes, you're my mark. I was sent to find you. I believe your father was behind it."

Bo crossed her arms, back straightening. She felt equal parts suspicion and panic. "And where is my dear old dad?"

"You're a major asset to him, and he's tremendously powerful, evil. But my information on him is fairly sketchy, and I don't know who he is. That's the truth." Tears gathered in the corners of Tamsin's eyes, but she quickly blinked them away. "He has gone to considerable trouble to get to you."

Bo dug the heels of her hands into her eyes and turned her back to Tamsin. She needed a few moments to consider everything and get her bearings.

The truth tore out of Tamsin's gut. "It's a long, complicated story. The short version is, I was hired by someone to find a girl with: Eyes both brown and blue, virtuous yet lustful, neither Dark nor Light, yet both." The words rush out of her as if she couldn't wait to get them out.

Bo studied her, knowing now Tamsin was telling her the truth. She sighed and leaned against the wall. "So you set a trap, and I was supposed to take the bait."

Bo saw her open her mouth to protest, but then she thought better of it. "I don't know everything, all I know is that I'm supposed to use The Druid's elixir on you. That's my mission. That's the part I was meant to play."

"I should kill you." With a speed that caught Tamsin by surprise, Bo sprang forward and thrust her dagger to Tamsin's throat. "What did he pay you? How much was my life worth to you?" She didn't flinch when Bo added more pressure. "Do you get off on playing with people's lives? Is everyone expendable to you?"

Bo watched Tamsin and saw a flurry of pain, regret, and sorrow in her eyes. "None of it was personal. I didn't know you were the one when we first met. When I took this deal I didn't know who it would turn out to be, I guess, I never thought I'd find such a person."

Bo laughed without really finding any of it funny. "Well, it's pretty damn personal to me." She shouted into her face. It took all of her self-control to lower the dagger and step away from her. "You put everyone I love at risk, and nothing's more personal to me than that."

"I agreed to this, many, many years ago…" Tamsin trailed off and took a steadying breath. "Centuries…"

"You want me to believe that my father planned my conception centuries ago? That he had someone hire you to find me before I was even born?" Bo massaged her forehead, fumbling with her thoughts. Her mind raced with the implications of what she had just learned. "How is any of this even possible?"

"I really don't understand it myself. For me, it was just a bounty that I agreed to."

Bo chuckled bitterly at that, but the smile didn't last long.

"I've lived most of my lives selfishly and greedily. Honestly, I should have died a long time ago…"

"Save the pity party for another day, okay?" Bo snapped cutting Tamsin off. "If you don't use that potion thingy on me, then he can't complete his plan. So, right here, we've stopped him. No one's fate is written. You always have a choice. And you can change both our futures by making a different choice."

"He'll never stop trying to get to you." Tamsin stared off, unable to blink. "Or me. Bad things are coming…If I don't complete my mission, there will be consequences."

"But now you don't have to face that alone. None of us know what will happen…But we can all help you."

After a long moment, Tamsin looked down, staring at the floor. "I don't know if you can beat him because you bear the weaknesses of those you protect and he will use that against you. That's what I would do, at least."

"Well, he," Bo threw her hands up and glared at Tamsin, who raised her head to look at her. "Can fuck off! Now that the truths out, now that I know daddy dearest is after me, I will be better prepared. If he wants a fight, I'll give him one."

Tamsin's face crumbled and more tears broke across her face. Bo could see the raw anguish on her features. "I'm sorry, Bo. You were nothing but a mark, but getting to know you…" Her voice trembled, but she continued. "Seeing how you protect those you love…your heart…how you so freely give your help to people-no matter who or what they are…I'm truly sorry."

"You can keep your sorry." Bo shot back, still outraged, being played by Tamsin for months made her feel not only angry but also foolish. But she had also seen good in Tamsin; she'd helped her several times. Deep down, Bo didn't believe she was evil, only that she'd made bad choices.

Taking a deep breath, Bo hoped she wasn't being a complete sucker as she said. "I don't need you to be sorry; I need you to help us prepare for what's coming."

"I don't know what to do." Tamsin's anguish was replaced with fear, and she darted her eyes around the Dal. "This is bad, Bo, real bad. We're both just pawns in some monumental game, and someone's been planning it for centuries." Her voice sounded strained as she spoke.

"Don't be a coward, Tamsin. It doesn't suit you." With anger burning her chest, Bo's eyes pierced Tamsin's. "It's time to make your choice. Help us or leave and never come back."

Tamsin sank down on a stool and buried her head in her hands. She lingered like that for so long Bo was about to shake an answer out of her. But Tamsin finally said, "You have my word that I'll do whatever I can to help."

"Good because I'll be watching your every move from now on." Bo stalked toward Tamsin and pointed the dagger at her. "Don't think you can lull me into a false sense of security, so you can betray me because if you so much as flinch in my or any of my loved one's directions I'll kill you."

XXXXXX

Quietly, not wanting to wake Lauren, Bo pulled off her jacket, then her boots and leather pants. Still wearing a tank top, she pulled the band from her hair, shaking it until it fell around her shoulders, and sat down on the edge of the bed.

Lauren shifted up and wrapped her arms around Bo's stomach. "Where were you?" She asked, her voice still gravelly with sleep.

"Go back to sleep." Bo pressed a long kiss to her forehead, and murmured against her skin, "I'll tell you everything in the morning."

Lauren hummed and took a deep breath. There was a smile on Lauren's face when she settled down again, pulling the covers up over her shoulders. Within seconds, she was breathing light and even, fast asleep again.

Climbing under the covers, Bo curled on her side, spooning Lauren. Taking in the comfort of Lauren's warmth, Bo fell asleep in seconds.

Deep sleep wrapped around Bo, and she began to dream. Weightlessness drowned her, and her heart plunged into her stomach. As nausea overwhelmed her, the dream world began to form around her, growing clearer and clearer. She found a woman sitting comfortably in a chair in a mostly empty room. The nausea subsided, and beneath her feet, she felt the solid ground. Without speaking, the woman patted the empty chair next to her.

Confused, Bo glanced around her surroundings. There wasn't anything else in the room, but there was a light breeze in the air, and Bo shivered involuntarily. The woman gestured to the seat again, and Bo sat down next to her. Getting a better look at her, Bo stared at her double before her head fell back. Fucking Fae, she mumbled bitterly, rubbing her eyes. "Of course." She held back the impulse to scream, and forced out, "Please don't tell me I'm still stuck in the Dawning?" Her shoulders slumped, and she looked at her double for answers.

The woman's face, well Bo's face, grew into a smile. "No, you are home. I'm merely channeling you through your dreams."

"Can you please tell me who you are? I'm tired of you talking to me in damn riddles. I want the truth, all of it." Bo barked, tossing her a cold look.

The other Bo nodded. "I'm Eros."

Bo's mind wrestled with that name, it sounded familiar, and she struggled to remember where she'd heard it. Finally, it hit her. "Like Cupid?" She asked, stunned as she tried to grasp that. "The God of Love?"

"You've heard of me?"

Bo laughed, a nervous edge to it. "Yeah, but I thought you were like a chubby, naked baby with wings and a bow and arrow." She said, wanting to joke because of how crazy everything sounded.

"That's a human interpretation. I blame the Renaissance." Eros laughed at her own joke. "But I can assure you, I'm not a baby, and I don't shoot arrows. It's amazing how much humans get wrong. I'm one of the Ancients. Your subconscious is fabricating my appearance."

The whole thing was getting stranger and stranger. Her words rang in Bo's twirling mind, and Eros watched her carefully.

"So, why are you here?" Bo asked once the silence had gone on too long.

"I was the one who guided you when you were trapped in the Temple's revenge."

"Yeah I got that, but why?" Bo demanded to know.

"When you got stuck in the Temple's reality. I became aware of you. That reality exists in a realm much like a dreamscape, and I was able to enter that world because my power allows me to connect with Fae and humans in their dreams. Love is easily aroused through the subconscious, and I feed off that power…"

"Okay, okay," Bo interrupted her, trying to control the frustration in her voice. "But why? Why help me?"

"I wanted to help you because I understand what it means to love a mortal, just as you. A mortal and a near immortals love. There's nothing quite like it."

"You could have just told me that before." Bo wiped her hands over her face. She really needed to get her head on straight to understand what she was being told. "Why the deceit?"

There was wariness in Eros' eyes that hadn't been there a moment before. "I was there to give you some help when I could, but not interfere. You had to finish the Dawning and find your own way out, or else you would have been trapped there forever. And, as powerful as I am, I wouldn't have been able to free you."

"You did all of this because you felt a connection with me because we both love humans?" Bo looked her over, scrutinizing every inch of her face, trying to spot an ulterior motive in her expression. "I'm trying to understand your role in all this."

"Nothing's ever simple in the Fae world." Eros sighed and Bo crossed her arms and gave her an impatient look. "The role I took in the Temple was to be your guide and to make sure you learned the lessons you needed. I'm not one of the Ancients you should be worried about."

Bo stared at the goddess, or Ancient, or whatever as she thought back to their interactions in the Temple, and the resentment inside her slowly built until she lashed out. "So why did you take Lauren's memories?"

"It was the only way to free you. The Temple demanded a sacrifice to be paid. Better that than her life, I'd say. In the end, it was a small sacrifice."

"Well, we beat you again." Bo shot her a smug, victorious smile. "Lauren remembers everything."

"As I knew she would." Eros responded simply.

With a wary eye on Eros, Bo stood and began to pace, keeping her movements slow and non-threatening. Not that she believed a goddess would feel threatened by her. "You took her memories to teach her a lesson?"

"No, but I would guess that the experience did, in fact, teach her a few things about herself. Or more to the point remind her of a few things she'd forgotten. True love, there's nothing that compares. But for love to flourish both individuals need to be whole separately but stronger together. You both needed to be reminded of that."

Bo continued to walk back and forth, absorbing all the new information.

Eros rose and stepped forward, closing the space between them. "You're very lucky you and Lauren found each other. As I was fortunate to find my love."

Bo froze and wet her lips nervously. "Where is your love now? Your human lover?" She asked though she sensed the answer. She didn't think it would be a happy story.

"Psyche died many, many years ago." Tears sprang to her lashes, and she quickly wiped them away. "In so many ways she softened my heart, and showed me the true value of humankind, something I had forgotten before meeting her." She let out a long wistful sigh. "She was caring, gentle, more beautiful than any woman before or after her…." She stared down at her hands, a distant gleam in her eyes and a somber air surrounding her. "The brevity of a mortal life makes their journeys more meaningful, more passionate. Humans have one shot, one go, one wonderful moment before the flame goes out for good. Unlike the Fae who must endure our mundane lives for centuries. In a lot of ways, we lose our passion for love, for life because time isn't as important to us." She lifted her eyes and gave Bo a sad smile. "There is great joy, and also much sadness in loving a human. As you well know."

Bo hadn't meant to hurt her by asking about her love, but she had been too curious not to. Simply the hypothetical of losing Lauren as Eros lost Psyche made Bo sick to her stomach. She didn't want to think about that, so she changed the subject. "I figured out it was Tamsin that was sent to betray me, so thanks for the heads up. She said my father, or someone working for him, hired her."

With a glum expression, Eros sat back down and Bo followed doing the same.

"Your father is Hades."

A sense of absolute dread ignited in Bo's stomach and burned its way toward her throat. "You're kidding." She said, but her words were sneaking into her. She recognized the truth of it in her heart, even if her mind didn't want to.

"I'm not. Hades was banished to the underworld for many centuries, and that's where he is now."

Bo barely suppressed the shudder that ran through her. "How is any of this possible?" She whispered mostly to herself.

"Hades kidnapped Aife and held her in Tartarus. While imprisoned she became pregnant with you."

Bo's stomach turned again, revulsion churning it that time as she thought about everything Aife must have gone through. "I was born in the Underworld."

Eros nodded in answer. "Aife was able to escape from Tartarus shortly after you were born. I believe you know the rest, how you ended up with the Dennis family."

"Yes." Bo murmured, still reeling from learning she had been born in the Underworld. "How do you know all this?" She questioned, hearing her voice as if from a distance.

"I'm burdened with the knowledge of all love stories." Eros' warm eyes turned glacial. "Sometimes, they are beautiful, inspiring and sometimes not."

A sound of repulsion and disbelief escaped Bo's mouth before she could stop it, followed by, "I don't think you can mention love when talking about what Hades did to Aife. You have to find that as stomach-turningly disgusting as I do."

Eros gave her a pained smile and a gentle squeeze on the knee. "I was referring to the love story of a mother and daughter. She saved you."

Bo's heart ached with guilt as she pieced together everything she knew about Aife and built a clearer picture. She had suffered for so long, so long, faced so many horrible, unimaginable things. She couldn't stop her mind from spinning with the story she'd just been told, the things she knew, and those she didn't. But there was still so much she didn't know, would probably never know.

There was no use denying the truth about her father. Fearing that truth would only waste time and make her vulnerable. "So what does my creepy biological father want with me?" Bo asked, ready to get as many answers as possible.

"Tamsin was hired to send you to the Wanderer. According to the Moirai…"

"Who?"

"Think of them like the Fates from your human fairy tales." Bo nodded her understanding and Eros continued, "You meeting the Wanderer would have set off a chain of events which would have culminated with Hades gaining freedom from Tartarus. Now he is very evil and very powerful, and nothing good could come from him returning to the human realm. When I realized you were stuck in the Temple's revenge, I saw my opportunity to help you and give you that warning."

Bo sank back in the chair, it took her several minutes to fully comprehend what she was telling her. She still had so many unanswered questions. The takeaway, however, was clear. Her father was seriously bad news.

"But we stopped it," Bo spoke with hope in her voice as she looked earnestly at Eros.

"Yes. I believe so. For now, he will remain banished in the Underworld."

"Do you think he has a plan B?"

Eros drew in a deep breath and expelled it hard. "There are many possible outcomes. I can't really guarantee anything. But now you are armed with knowledge, and that's a very powerful advantage."

Bo felt her mind stir, and she knew she would be waking up soon, that her time with Eros was coming to an end. The chair squeaked as Bo shifted her body to look at Eros. "What will happen with Lauren and I?" She whispered, and a chill swept over her, spreading across her back and down as she voiced the question that sometimes haunted her. What would her future with Lauren be like? Could a Fae and a human actually find happiness together?

"That's up to you and her to decide. I only possess the power to know love stories, to feed off love, not the power to make it real or control it. You do that for yourself by believing in it, by fighting for it. There's so much I don't know, but I can't wait to find out how your love story unfolds. Call me a romantic, but I think you two will always find a way to be together. No matter how many hurdles you have to jump over."

Bo thought about those words. She didn't know what the future would be, but she had no doubt that if she faced Lauren's death, she would love her beyond it. "It was a silly question. I don't really want to know the future."

"One thing I've learned over my many years of life is that worthwhile things take work and sometimes time to work. Try to remember that when things get difficult."

With that, Eros vanished, and Bo awoke to Lauren snuggled next to her.

XXXXXX

Stunned silence filled the room as Bo looked around at everyone staring at her. Everyone was staring, but no one spoke. It was so quiet a pin drop could have been heard.

Both Trick and Dyson turned to glare at Tamsin, who shifted her gaze to the ground.

"So there you have it. Another big baddie is after me." Bo said, not liking the tension that was starting to build in the room. "And this time it's Hades."

"It can't be…" Trick murmured, scowling down at a large book in his lap.

"It's true."

"Out of one clusterfuck and right into another." Kenzi joked as she jumped up on the bar. "We're all stuck in a bad daytime soap. But now featuring an evil daddy. And I was so sure the next plot twist would be Lauren having an evil twin." She tossed a light smirk in Lauren's direction.

Lauren frowned at Kenzi's unique brand of verbal nonsense. She knew jokes were an old standby to hide her discomfort, so she didn't take offense to it. Then she looked over at Bo, but her attention focused inward as she tried to figure out the new problem placed before them.

"What about her." Dyson's face twisted into a snarl and he looked like he wanted to charge Tamsin. She raised her head and glared back at him. "She violated our trust, we can't keep her around."

Tamsin lifted her chin, and looked away, but her expression betrayed her. Lauren noted that her face had paled by a few shades. She wondered if it was from guilt or fear, perhaps it was both.

"We've all made mistakes." Bo gave Dyson a knowing look before continuing, "No one's truly innocent in this group."

Kenzi put a finger up and said. "Except me. I remain duplicity free."

Dyson gave Bo an examining glance, his blue eyes stormy and severe.

Bo looked away from Dyson and addressed the whole group. "Tamsin came clean; she told the truth. And she's in danger as well, since she failed her mission. If we have a lack of faith in each other that will become our biggest weakness. One he could easily exploit. We ALL have to work together here. Trust each other."

"She was planning to betray you, and you act as if she hasn't done anything wrong," Trick added, exchanging a worried glance with Dyson.

"I learned to trust YOU after you kept so many secrets from me." Bo pointed out, her patience wearing thin.

Every pair of eyes turned toward the Blood King.

Trick took a deep breath and rubbed his temple. "This is different. I've only kept things from you to protect you." He replied as Dyson came up behind the chair and put a hand on his shoulder. "Never to hurt you."

Bo put up her hand to stop him, and said, "I'm not looking to rehash everyone's sins here, my point is, in this group, we forgive each other and move on. Tamsin deserves a chance to make things right. We have bigger enemies to face. We have to stick together."

Lauren moved subtly to stand beside Bo. She didn't touch Bo, just stood there, at Bo's side and close by, backing Bo up, showing her support. Bo turned to Lauren, and they shared a brief, silent exchange with each other, studying one another's eyes.

"Stop it." Kenzi snapped her fingers several times. "Now is not the time for the googly eye thing. Focus love birds."

"He will keep trying to get to Bo," Tamsin said, figuring it was her cue to speak. Her eyes shifted across those in the room. She hesitated when she reached Bo. "He won't stop until he gets her."

Lauren picked that moment to place her hand at Bo's back, to remind her that she was beside her whatever came next.

"We need to consider our choices," Bo said stubbornly, glancing at Tamsin then the others. "One choice is, we send Tamsin away. Or we kill her in cold blood." She let the implications of that sink in before she continued. "Or we use her help to stop this threat. She's the only lead we have."

Everyone looked at everyone else, and no one said anything right away. Bo didn't rush to fill the silence. She allowed them the time they needed to think it over.

Eventually, the conversation began again when Lauren broke the silence.

"We'll do anything you need," Lauren said to Bo from her right, taking her hand in hers for a few seconds. "He may be after you, but you don't have to face it alone."

Bo turned her head and gave Lauren a grateful smile. The energy in the room shifted as everyone agreed to give Tamsin another chance.

"What do we do now?" Dyson asked taking a seat next to Trick.

"Now we live our lives. But we'll prepare for the rest as we do. The best thing we can do is to go on the offensive, gather any information we can. So far, his plans have failed, but if he comes for me, we'll be waiting. I need all of you to help me through this." Bo paused to slowly drift her eyes over each of them. "I don't know what the hell is going to happen next. All I know is, we've been through a lot together, faced impossible odds, and we work best when we're united. And if we're prepared we can do it again." Bo spoke with a firm expression. Her tone was authoritative. Serious. Determined.

Lauren watched Bo with pride as she addressed the room. She was confident, holding everyone's attention. Her brown eyes flashed with passion as she spoke. She loved seeing Bo slide so easily into the leadership role. It suited her. It was what they all needed.

"Don't worry, Bo." Kenzi jumped off the bar and slung an arm around Bo and then Lauren. "We're here for you. We're one big happy family of misfit toys."

XXXXX

Bo and Lauren held hands as they walked down the sidewalk away from the Dal. Bo's fingers were warm, her grip tight and secure as she guided Lauren along. Bo caught Lauren's eye, and they smiled at each other. For at that moment, all was right between them, despite the new threat hanging over them.

They halted at the crosswalk, waiting for the light. "Do you think it's a bad idea to keep Tamsin around?" Bo asked, needing Lauren's advice since they were finally alone.

"It's best to be cautious. But I told you before, I stand with you and support you. Whatever comes, you have a team behind you to help you through it. There is an enormous power in that."

They held each other's eyes, a silent understanding passing between them, and then crossed the street when the light changed.

A few minutes into their journey they stopped at a bench. Lauren turned to face Bo, and Bo draped an arm across the back of the bench.

"I want my freedom," Lauren said, twisting her necklace around her finger. The only thing she wanted was the freedom to make her own choices. "I don't want to be subjected to the Light Fae authority anymore. Like you I want to be my own sovereign state. So to speak."

Bo's fingers brushed over Lauren's shoulder. "Then take it. Take your freedom."

"It probably won't happen tomorrow, but I'm ready to shed my chains. In my eyes, I've earned my freedom, and I think I can convince Hale of that. I can't escape the Fae, but I think I can exist within the Fae world, help them however I can, but with my freedom intact."

"If anyone can do it it's you." Bo's eyes grew serious as she ran her finger up the length of Lauren's arm. "The fact that you want to help the very people that owned you, that's the mark of a good person. I really admire your strength."

"We all only do the best we can, under the circumstances we live in."

"It's more than that. You saved me, risked your life for me by going into the Temple. It's one of the bravest," She smirked at Lauren, "and dumbest things I've ever seen anybody do."

Lauren lightly laughed when Bo echoed her words from earlier, and then gazed out into the night for a minute. "I think we saved each other. Not just in the Temple."

"You make a good point." Bo leaned over and kissed Lauren's cheek.

Lauren stared off again for a while as Bo continued to absentmindedly move her fingers up and down her skin.

Finally, Lauren eyed Bo uncertainly, hesitant to speak what was on her mind. "I was going to leave you. Before…I was thinking about breaking up with you."

Bo's stomach tightened with Lauren's admission, but if she were honest with herself, she had known things had been breaking down between them before her Dawning. "I wasn't a very good girlfriend; I don't blame you."

Lauren shook her head, eyes on Bo's when she said, "It wasn't that. I started to feel like my life was empty, I felt like I was fighting a losing battle every day. I felt like a huge part of me was missing and hated it. For a while, I think I tried to use you to fill up those empty spaces, and that's not fair to put all that on one person."

Bo watched Lauren, then frowned, her gaze searching. "You feel different now?"

Lauren nodded and touched Bo's cheek. "I found myself again. I'm able to stand a bit straighter on my own again. I think that's important. I can't lean on you for everything, make you my whole world."

Bo's eyes sparkled at her words, but there was still a bit of caution in her expression. "Please don't leave me. Don't walk away."

"I'm not running," Lauren's answer came swift and sure. "I understand that our love is stronger than any of the rest of that. No matter what happens, we'll find a way to make it work, because I know I don't want to be apart from you."

Lauren wasn't going anywhere. Hearing her say the words touched Bo deeply, soothed her heart and calmed her mind.

Bo gave her a love-filled gaze. She covered Lauren's hand with hers, pressing it against her face. "We need to take better steps to make us solid. I'm always going to be a little rough around the edges, but going forward I promise to always make us a priority. I won't ever take our time together for granted. Not again."

They dropped their hands and looked at each other for a moment before Bo continued, "And you need to trust me, tell me your feelings, talk to me about your past. Even the ugly stuff. We all wear the armor that we think we need, but you don't have to around me. People keep secrets for two main reasons: to protect themselves or to protect someone else. You don't have to protect yourself from me. Know that I love you, Lauren Lewis. The past doesn't matter to me."

Lauren felt a lump in her throat from the emotions that Bo's words were evoking in her. "I suppose I stopped talking when the world around me stopped listening." She said, leaning her head on Bo's shoulder. She felt the comfort Bo was offering when she rested her head on hers. "It's become an unfortunate habit. But I promise to do better about opening up to you. I love you too and I believe in us now more than I was able to believe in us then."

They went silent for a while again. Sitting on the bench, leaning against each other, they found contentment and peace as they watched the other people walking down the street.

Lauren broke the moment when she rose to her feet. With an achingly beautiful smile, she offered Bo her hand. Bo placed her hand into Lauren's and pushed up from the bench. It didn't take long for Lauren to slide her arms around Bo. The tightness of their embrace cemented all the promises they had made. They just held each other for a minute as strangers walked passed them.

Shifting slightly, Lauren pressed her forehead and nose against Bo's, her hands settled on her shoulders. "I never thought I'd meet someone like you. Love someone like you."

A small grin touched Bo's lips as a light laugh left her. "You mean one with magical powers plus incredible stamina and amazing skills in bed?"

"No," Lauren said through a laugh. She pulled back and stared deep into Bo's eyes. "Loving. Fun. Strong and brave. Protective. You embrace who you are, no matter what others have tried to force upon you, and I find that inspiring." She placed her lips briefly on the corner of Bo's mouth. "And you're so damn sexy I have to pinch myself."

Bo smiled at that, then grew serious again. "For so long I was confused and scared about what, or who I was, and I never thought I'd find love." Her voice cracked a little. "You're the one I was searching for when I didn't even realize I was searching. Meeting you, it was like the impossible and unreachable had suddenly fallen into my hands."

Lauren looked back at Bo, eyes bordering on tears. Bo's sweet words were making her emotional. She fluttered her eyelashes in a vain attempt to ward off the impending tears. "I know things aren't always going to be easy." She took a pause, wanting to get the words exactly right. In her silence Bo wiped away her tears. "We'll still hit those bumps, life will continue to throw curve balls at us, but no matter what happens I'll never regret loving you. Being with you, I found a stronger version of myself. I want us to do what we need to do to be happy, whatever it takes."

Smiling, Bo tucked her hand in the crook of Lauren's elbow, and they ambled down the street. Bo waited until they were a few blocks from Lauren's place before she addressed her last comments. "We'll kick down all the obstacles in front of us one by one. I'm not afraid of a challenge." Bo was quiet again, sharing a sidelong glance with Lauren and then added, "So now we get you your freedom and stop some big, powerful asshole. Shouldn't be too hard."

Lauren laughed, and Bo was happy when the act of it lit up her face.

"Easy," Lauren said, her steps easily keeping pace with Bo's.

"So easy." Bo fought a smile and nudged into Lauren's shoulder. "Never a dull moment around here. Around me."

They walked the rest of the way in comfortable silence. As they neared Lauren's apartment, they slowed their steps before coming to a stop. Still thinking everything over, Lauren looked at the building and then back at Bo.

"We'll get through it, Bo." Lauren said as she got her head out of her thoughts. "You didn't ask for this fight, or any fight really, but I know you're going to fight anyway. You're a leader, and people will support you, they want to follow you. You're the one who fights with your whole heart. You're someone who will sacrifice yourself to save another. You never stop until a threat is gone, and you will even fight for those who condemn you. And it's because of who you are that people will stand with you.

Exhaling a long, deep breath, Bo digested Lauren's proclamations of total trust and confidence in her. Part of her feared that complete trust, because of the uncertain road they would be traveling in regards to her father and his plans for her. Whatever he was after, she knew it wouldn't be because he wanted to take her to the father-daughter sock hop.

"Sometimes, I feel like there's a darkness inside me, and considering who my father is, I'm probably right." Bo fell silent and stared thoughtfully into the night.

"We all have darkness inside us."

Lauren's soft voice coaxed Bo back to her, and she looked into her eyes.

"But you use your power for good, not because you have to, but because you want to. You're the best person I know, and it doesn't matter who your father is. You are still you."

"I think I can come to a peace with where I came from and all that, in time. But if Hades shows up, sometime in the future, I will destroy him."

Soon, together they walked into the building, not wanting to dwell in the unknown future. When they stepped into the apartment, Bo set her hands on Lauren's hips, and drew her body up against hers, against the softness of her breasts. "I don't know what's going to happen, with my father, with your freedom, and all the rest of it. I just want us to be together." She found Lauren's mouth, letting all their emotions mingle through soft lips and slow moving tongues.

They still had a lot of things to face going forward, but compared to what they'd already overcome, the rest seemed more manageable. One thing Bo was absolutely positive of, if they stayed together, they could handle anything. They could fight against any threat side by side, with the aid of the others. That was a truth Bo clung to. And by the way Lauren was kissing her back, Bo knew she wasn't alone in her feelings.

"Then we're both lucky." Lauren murmured against Bo's mouth and felt her answering smile. "Because that's exactly what I want as well." She added before smothering Bo's smile by deepening the kiss.

Lauren's heart swelled with the intensity of the moment as she let all their words, and Bo's love roll over her. She was happier than she could remember being in a long time. She was more confident in her place in the world, in her place in Bo's heart. Finally, she knew she was exactly where she was meant to be. She'd been alone in the Fae world for so long, too long, but Bo's world had become her world, and her place was beside her. Before Bo Lauren had been dying inside. Her body and heart had been so parched. She realized that. Then Bo had lit everything up inside of her, again. Their life together wouldn't ever be perfect. It was far from easy. But it was theirs.

They were together, and even if they didn't have all the details figured out yet, they had each other, and that was what was important. And she would keep helping Bo until she was safe from her father, until they were both free. Every day she, they, would keep fighting for their future. But life going forward would be more than just about being alive or staying alive. For both of them. It would be about really living. Just the thought made her smile into their kiss.

 **XXXXX**

 **AN**

 **I am genuinely sorry about the wait for this update. I had really bad writers block and then I just kept avoiding it. And I am sorry.**

 **I left the Hades stuff a little open ended and if I can find the time I might do a short sequel to wrap that up. I felt like this story was long enough already without adding more to it, but I wanted to touch on that plot because of the Season 3 canon stuff.**

 **Well, thanks for reading this story.**


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